school me on ladder testing

so far i have been just loading up some rounds with different charges and powders and shooting (and wasting lots of time and bullets ) .i bought a new gun and I'm going to start working up loads for 2 bullet weights and 3 powders .I'm also going to load these touching the lands and then start backing them off in increments until i find what this one likes .in the past i would load up 10rnds of each shoot the groups ,compare targets and try the best group out the next weekend with a whole new powder choice and so on. it is a very long and time consuming job not alone expensive process .
would the ladder testing be helpful in this? and what is involved

http://www.6mmbr.com/laddertest.html