1. A method, comprising: receiving into a computer memory a plurality of article characteristic values associated with a set of articles having a range of variation as to a plurality of article characteristics resulting from a process, selecting a predictor characteristic from the plurality of article characteristics; determining regression model(s) between the predictor characteristic and at least one other article characteristic of the plurality of article characteristics; determining an operating target for the predictor characteristic based on a set of design tolerances and the regression model(s); using a process controller to vary, during cycles of the process, at least one design target or a design tolerance from the set of design tolerances, wherein variation of the at least one design target or design tolerance is dependent on one or more of time and cycle of the process; and re-computing the operating target for the predictor characteristic based on the set of varied design tolerances and the regression model(s).