Designing Experiments
Designing experiments is a systematic approach to testing hypotheses about how changes to a product or process might improve outcomes. It involves creating experiments to test these hypotheses under controlled conditions to evaluate the effects of various changes or features.
Purpose
The purpose of designing experiments is to quickly validate, or invalidate, our assumptions before we invest too much time and effort into building a solution. It helps teams to make informed decisions based on data rather than assumptions.
Context
Industry Context
We fall in love with our ideas so unless we have clear upfront clarification on the experiments we are going to run, the people that will be involved, their background/job-to-be-done and what represents success we will be biased towards our own ideas and create excuses for negative results.
ZeroBlockers Context
We are accountable for outcomes, not just outputs so we need to actively overcome our biases if we want to achieve the desired results.
ZeroBlockers Practices
| Practice | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Identifying Target Audience | Tailor your evaluation methods to the audience. | Increases the relevance and effectiveness of experiment findings. |
| Developing Experiment Plan | Outline timeline, resources, and methodologies. | organises experiment efforts and ensures efficient use of resources. |
| Recruiting Participants | Ensure a representative sample for your experiment. | Enhances the validity and applicability of experiment findings. |
| Preparing Experiment Materials | Such as prototypes or alternatives for A/B tests. | Facilitates effective and consistent data collection. |
Anti-patterns
- Confirmation Bias: Designing experiments to confirm pre-existing beliefs rather than to discover truth.
- Ignoring Context: Failing to consider how external factors may influence the results.
- Analysis Paralysis: Spending too much time planning and analysing, leading to delays in decision-making.
Case Studies
Accelerating Innovation with Lean UX Experiments
How Bonanza Design improved product development and innovation by implementing lean and quick UX experiments within their agile framework.
Bonanza Design
Innovating with Quick Experiments in Product Discovery
How organizations can drive innovation and improve product development by implementing quick experiments during the product discovery phase.