1. A method for low cost signature testing of electronic circuits produced by a manufacturing process subject to process variations and characterized by a selected set of performance parameters, comprising the steps of: constructing a model for predicting said performance parameters for a first electronic circuit produced by the manufacturing process as a result of receiving the output of one or more second electronic circuits produced by the manufacturing process and stimulated with a selected test stimulus; providing said output to said model; obtaining a prediction of said performance parameters by use of said model; measuring said performance parameters independently of said model; and iteratively varying said test stimulus to minimize the error between said prediction and the corresponding measured values for said performance parameters, for determining an optimized test stimulus.