Overview for Surface Plot

Use Surface Plot when you have a stored model and want to plot how the fitted response relates to two continuous variables. A surface plot displays the three-dimensional relationship in two dimensions, with the variables on the x- and y-axes, and the response variable (z) represented by a smooth surface.

For example, analysts at a solar energy company want to plot the relationship between heat flux and the positioning of the east and the south focal points. The analysts previously fit a model to describe the relationship between the focal points and heat flux.

This analysis uses a model that you fit and that Minitab stores. For more information, go to Stored model overview.

Where to find this analysis

If you use the Predictive Analytics Module to create a Linear Regression Model or a Binary Logistic Regression model, then select the analysis from the top of the results. If you create the model from the Stat menu, then use the version of this analysis that corresponds to the type of model you fit.

Type of model	Version of surface plot
Regression	Stat > Regression > Regression > Surface Plot
Binary logistic regression	Stat > Regression > Binary Logistic Regression > Surface Plot
Poisson regression	Stat > Regression > Poisson Regression > Surface Plot
General linear model	Stat > ANOVA > General Linear Model > Surface Plot
Screening design	Stat > DOE > Screening > Surface Plot
Factorial design	Stat > DOE > Factorial > Surface Plot
Response surface design	Stat > DOE > Response Surface > Surface Plot
Mixture design	Stat > DOE > Mixture > Contour/Surface Plots

When to use an alternate analysis

If you do not have a model, use 3D Surface Plot in the Graph menu to plot data means instead of fitted means. For more information about the types of means, go to Data and fitted means.
If you have a stored model and want to predict the value of the response variable for combinations of variable settings that you specify, use Predict.
If you have a stored model and want to plot the main effects and interaction effects with fitted means, use Factorial Plots.
If you have a stored model and want to plot the relationship between a fitted response and two continuous variables with contour lines in a two-dimensional view, use Contour Plot.
If you have at least one stored model and want to identify an area where the predicted means of one or more response variables are in an acceptable range, use Overlaid Contour Plot.
If you have at least one stored model and want to find values that optimize one or more responses, use Response Optimizer.