A/B Testing: Understanding and Implementing it for Continuous Improvement
A/B testing, also known as split testing, is a technique used in web development to compare one or more versions of variables such as websites, page elements, and applications to see which version performs better than the other. The purpose of A/B testing is to extract value from the comparison, not to see if something works as expected. In this article, I will discuss A/B testing, why it is important, and how to conduct it.
To start with, A/B testing involves creating two versions, A and B, where A is the original version or the control, while B is the variant, a new version of the original. A hypothesis is then raised, and the two versions are compared to see which performs better in relation to the other.
One of the primary reasons to use A/B testing is to achieve a certain goal, typically to increase sales. For instance, a grocery store may use A/B testing to experiment with different product placements and see which layout generates more sales. A/B testing is a powerful tool for businesses as it provides direction for continuous improvement of the product and helps gain more knowledge about clients and different target audiences.
From a software engineering standpoint, A/B testing may seem superfluous. Still, it is an essential tool to avoid costly mistakes and…
