Architecture update: leaner, meaner and faster A/B tests

http://visualwebsiteoptimizer.com/split-testing-blog/architecture-update-leaner-meaner-and-faster-ab-tests/

by paraschopra • 16 years ago

11 9 16 years ago

btilly• 16 years ago

Until now you could run only one test per page. While this is the way it should actually be...

Um, no.

A/B testing is a balancing act between theory and pragmatism. Everyone wants to get the perfect answer, but we need to get it fast enough to make useful business decisions. When your website doesn't have that much traffic this means you need to make compromises. Running multiple tests at a time on a page is such a compromise.

The one time you absolutely cannot justify multiple tests at the same time due to predictable interaction effects is when you've assigned users a sequence and use the sequence number mod n to figure out which version they get. That's bad, so don't do that. Even if the tests are on different pages you'll get interaction effects. Assign people to each test randomly instead.

paraschopra4• 16 years ago

To clarify, I meant that you coudln't run multiple tests per page _using_ VWO. Of course, it has been done previously.

Yes, running multiple tests is risky and we discourage it because even if you gain speed, the interaction effects may dissolve any results you get.

Again, your last point is excellent. Assigning user ids and then choosing variations dependent on it is a poor strategy. In VWO, we assign variations randomly and then remember (via a cookie) which variation did the user see.

patio11• 16 years ago

Yes, running multiple tests is risky and we discourage it because even if you gain speed, the interaction effects may dissolve any results you get.

Ben has IIRC previously written, and I agree, that interaction effects are typically minimal in practice unless you have catastrophic implementation choices. Since you're taking care of the implementation and it isn't catastrophic, you can safely ignore them. Don't advise your users against using your software in a manner likely to increase the value they get out of it. Interaction effects are worth an asterix in the documentation, but not much more.

briancray• 16 years ago

I've been using VWO, and highly recommend it.

danskil• 16 years ago

I like the service and just applied for an invite. The demo on the main page shows changing text can you also change css, swap images, or use different html elements?

paraschopra4• 16 years ago

Yes, see this post for details http://visualwebsiteoptimizer.com/split-testing-blog/web-des...

nopassrecover• 16 years ago

This is the second time today I've seen a service using one of the admin panel templates from ThemeForest. In any case it's not the interface that matters so much in this case.

paraschopra4• 16 years ago

Yep, admin interface from ThemeForest provide a really good looking base for apps such as VWO to build their UI. I love ThemeForest and highly recommend it for all kinds of design needs.

Architecture update: leaner, meaner and faster A/B tests

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