Computer-Generated Minimal (and Larger) Response-Surface Designs: (I) The Sphere R. H. Hardin and N. J. A. Sloane(*) Mathematical Sciences Research Center AT&T Bell Laboratories 600 Mountain Avenue Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974 (*) Present address: AT&T Shannon Labs, Florham Park, NJ 07932-0971 Note: This paper and its companion (Part II) (see http://NeilSloane.com/doc/meatball.txt) were written in 1991 but never published. They are now (August, 2001) being published electronically on N. J. A. Sloane's home page, ABSTRACT Computer-generated designs in the sphere are described which have the minimal (or larger) number of runs for a full quadratic response-surface design. In the case of 3 factors, the designs have 10 through 33 runs; for 4 factors, 15 through 28 runs; for 5 factors, 21 through 33 runs; etc. Some of these designs are listed here in full; the others can be obtained from the authors. The designs were constructed by minimizing the average prediction variance. No prior constraints --- such as a central composite structure -- are imposed on the locations of the points. The program itself determines the optimal number of runs to make at the center. The best designs found have repeated runs at the center and the remaining runs at points well spread out over the surface of the sphere. There is a simple lower bound on the average prediction variance; this bound is attained by many of the designs. Key Words: Minimal designs; spherical designs; quadratic response surface; computer-generated designs; minimal variance designs; maximal volume designs. For the full version, see: http://NeilSloane.com/doc/doeh.pdf or http://NeilSloane.com/doc/doeh.ps