In class last week (I think it was just Section A on Monday), we were talking about A/B testing of web sites. Here is the WIRED article I mentioned about it: The A/B Test: Inside the Technology That’s Changing the Rules of Business. It’s a fascinating look at the history and use of the technology.
One thing I find troubling about it is that the downside is what the writer calls “incrementalism,” only making minor changes to a design and never risking a massive redesign.
And just the other day, I ran across this observation about the technique on Twitter:
Benjamin Pollack @bitquabit: Just saw a beggar A/B testing. He had a collection of signs, asking those who gave what about the sign they liked, and added it to the next.
