Using A/B Testing as a Pedagogical Tool for Iterative Design in HCI Classrooms

This paper explores the use of A/B testing as a pedagogical tool for iterative design in HCI classrooms and outlines a vision for experiment-inspired design. The traditional focus on the statistical aspects of A/B testing education has meant that the equally crucial role of iterative design embedded within the experimental process has not received commensurate attention. By incorporating iterative design learning activities that are scaffolded by A/B testing tools, HCI students can gain transferable skills and experience in doing multiple cycles of ideation, prototyping, testing, and evaluation, and simultaneously contribute to continual course improvement. We reconsider the role of experimentation in HCI education as a means for exploring complex design spaces. Drawing from our experience in teaching this approach and conducting education research involving sequences of online controlled experiments, we present examples of how to use A/B testing as a pedagogical tool for iterative design in HCI classrooms.