Five tips for successful experimentation in companies

The fundamental step for successful optimization of the customer experience lies in planning: What preliminary work is required? Are initial results available? Which employees form the "testing team", which working groups are involved company-wide? When developing an optimization strategy, testing activities must first be aligned with the company's goals. Without a strategic guideline, for example, there is a risk of creating uncoordinated or inefficient tests that are time-consuming and labor-intensive but deliver hardly any useful results. Development work in advance makes it easier for employees to better understand their tasks. It also serves as a checklist for streamlining the workflow.Tip 2: Focus on finding ideas Once the appropriate structure for experiments has been created, it is time for brainstorming. This process is about developing strong hypotheses for the implementation of experiments and campaigns. An example: A bicycle manufacturer suspects that the payment process for purchasing a bike is too complicated and confusing. He designs an alternative, more simply structured check-out process and tests whether it leads to more purchases. The test results will show him which path to take, but brainstorming is also one of the most difficult steps. Without a structured framework to support the creative experimentation phase, it is almost impossible to continuously come up with good ideas. This is where the company culture is crucial: develop a "hands-on attitude" that includes all employees. Everyone can submit suggestions for improvement in a structured form, which are collected centrally in the so-called backlog. Those responsible for testing prioritize the ideas and implement them.Tip 3: Involve product managers and creative mindsCreativity is required when developing useful hypotheses that are verified by testing. For this reason, not only sober-minded analysts should be involved in this process, but also many creative minds who are often responsible for the products. They are the ones who have the ideas, as they deal with the product on a daily basis. Many companies make the mistake of not involving these employees in the experimentation process. They are often even held back by the analytics team, as efficiency takes precedence over effectiveness. This is a small technical group of analytically minded experts who want to achieve better business results in a discipline that requires creativity. But optimization requires a combination of analytical and creative skills. Democratize your testing - get everyone on board, not just individual departments!Tip 4: Customize the workflowAsk yourself whether there is already documentation on the digital strategy and measurement of customer experience performance. In many cases, the existing tool can be helpful and adapted or extended for an optimization methodology, for example a team charter in the form of a Word document or a workflow managed in a web application. It may also be that small teams have been working together in a spreadsheet, but now many more employees are busy with experiments - in which case the spreadsheet quickly becomes confusing. In short: create ideal working conditions for experiments and optimization measures.Tip 5: Train testing champions  Technology is constantly evolving and pushing the boundaries of what is possible, while consumer expectations continue to rise. That's why training in this area is immensely important. Turn a dedicated employee into a testing champion and keep them learning. Upskilling programs don't necessarily require expensive training or university courses. Some companies are already investing heavily in their certification and training programs that don't cost much. For example, encourage and reward participation in conferences and user groups, forums and open source code projects. Define goals for all team members to achieve the most relevant technology and industry certifications for their role. You can also subsidize the cost of the exams themselves and reward successful completions with simple gifts.The most important thing: keep movingIn order to create shopping experiences that discerning customers actually respond to, a corporate culture is required in which tests and optimizations are continuously carried out. Experiments must be well prepared and placed in the hands of the right people, who receive continuous training and are given time and money to develop the experiments. But the most important thing remains to make employees aware of the purpose and success of testing and personalization campaigns - across all departments. Create a lively exchange between the testing team and the rest of the company, for example through monthly reporting on successful campaigns or thanking employees who have contributed good ideas. Regular feedback is the only way to create a culture of experimentation that reaches everyone in your company.