A/B Testing 101

Summary: A/B tests incrementally improve the user experience of a product while effectively reaching business goals.

A/B testing (sometimes also referred to as split testing) is a popular UX research method, with widespread adoption across businesses and industries. To ensure reliable, meaningful, and beneficial results for your organization, follow best practices and avoid common mistakes when planning and setting up an A/B test.

What Is A/B Testing?

A/B testing is a quantitative research method that tests two or more design variations with a live audience to determine which variation performs best according to a predetermined set of business-success metrics.

In an A/B test, you create two or more variations of a design in a live product. Most commonly, you’ll compare the original design A, also called the control version, and one variation B, called the variant. Ideally, the variant should differ from the original design only in one design element alone, such as a button, an image, or a description.