The roles in an experiment team

In this episode of Datadrivet, Joni Lindgren and Jasmin Yaya tackle a practical question: which competencies do you need to run experiments at high speed? Jasmin has the answer, drawn from recently lecturing startups on experimentation, after which one company asked for help putting experiments into practice.

Jasmin lays out a four-step way to get going. First, audit the existing backlog and look through the planned features for candidates worth testing small. Second, convert those into experiments by deciding the minimal thing to build and the right type of test. Third, prioritize the experiments and pick which to run first. Fourth, assemble a cross-functional team to actually do the work.

The roles on that team:

• Analyst, for setup and measurement
• UX Designer, for the user flows
• Developer, for the functionality
• Copywriter, for the content
• Marketer, to drive traffic if it’s needed
• Product Manager, for oversight and prioritization
• Champion, for coordination and keeping scope in check

One detail stands out. Jasmin notes the best results came when two Product Managers worked in parallel, one holding strategy and vision and one running the operational side, because it’s hard to be both at the same time. The Champion role is worth dwelling on too: someone has to keep the experiments coordinated and stop scope from creeping, or the pace the rest of the team is set up for never materializes.

The takeaway is that speed comes from having the right mix of people pointed at well-chosen tests, rather than from any single hero role.

Listen to the full episode of Datadrivet for Jasmin’s full breakdown of the setup and the roles.