The accelerating rate at which new materials are appearing, and transforming the engineering world, only serves to emphasize the vast potential for novel material structure and related performance. Microstructure Sensitive Design for Performance Optimization (MSDPO) embodies a new methodology for systematic design of material microstructure to meet the requirements of design in optimal ways. Intended for materials engineers and researchers in industry, government and academia as well as upper level undergraduate and graduate students studying material science and engineering, MSDPO provides a novel mathematical framework that facilitates a rigorous consideration of the material microstructure as a continuous design variable in the field of engineering design.