Split-testing, or A/B testing, is one of the most important concepts in designing new features on a website. Anyone can do it for a very small amount of money (if you know how), but I wanted to share a real-time example of split-testing in action.
Facebook is currently testing a new user-interface, which means they may be gearing up for a major overhaul. My fiance (Photo A) logs into Facebook and sees the new layout, while I (Photo B) login to Facebook and see the old version. Facebook’s analysts will measure the clicks of group A and compare them to group B, and if the analysts determine that group A is more productive or optimal against its metrics, they’ll implement the changes for all of Facebook’s users. Click the images above to see the different layouts that Facebook is testing.
