Inside an award-winning experimentation team | Stewart Ehoff (RS Components)
Aug 25, 2023
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Stewart Ehoff, Head of Experimentation at RS Components, discusses the journey of their award-winning experimentation team. Topics include creating a culture of experimentation, ROI, personalization, transformation into a Centre of Excellence, and the shift from client-side to server-side testing. The podcast also explores the significance of experimentation in understanding customer behavior, validating ideas with painted door experiments, and the potential applications of generative AI.
Experimentation is a people game that requires changing mindsets and getting buy-in from leadership.
ARIS Components transformed from a centralized optimization team to a center of excellence, empowering teams to own experimentation and drive value.
Deep dives
Experimentation as a People Game
Experimentation is not just a technology or statistical game, but a people game. Simply having the right technology or statistical approach is not enough if you can't change mindsets and get people on board. Building a successful experimentation program requires a shift in mindset and a focus on changing how people think and feel.
The Evolution of ARIS Components and the Role of Experimentation
ARIS Components, originally known as Radio Spares, has evolved over its 100-year history from selling radio spares to becoming a one-stop-shop distributor and partner for businesses. Stewart E-Hoff, the head of experimentation, highlights the critical role of experimentation at ARIS in understanding customer needs, staying competitive, and delivering value.
The ARIS Components Experimentation Approach
ARIS Components initially had a centralized optimization team, but has now transformed into a center of excellence that empowers teams across the organization to own experimentation and drive value. The experimentation team consists of specialists and analysts who support and enable others to experiment. They focus on both qualitative and quantitative data to validate decisions and drive revenue enhancements.
Milestones in Building the Experimentation Program at ARIS Components
The journey of building an experimentation program at ARIS Components involved several milestones. These included shifting from client-side to server-side experimentation, transitioning from a centralized team to a center of excellence, and empowering product teams to run experiments independently. The program also involved aligning with executive leadership and showcasing the value and impact of experimentation at various stages.
What does it look like inside an award-winning experimentation team?
As Stewart Ehoff reflects on that, you hear familiar aspects: people, vision, team spirit, rituals and ceremonies. But he also talks about challenges, the battle to convince others, experimentation being "a lonely place" and imposter syndrome.
Stewart is the Head of Experimentation at RS Components. They recently won the Experimentation Team Of The Year award at Experimentation Elite in London.
It's an inspirational story about their journey from an "optimisation" team to a Centre of Excellence, from client-side to server-side testing. The 5-year journey started with a clear vision and a focused campaign to get buy-in from leadership.
Some highlights are:
Creating a culture of experimentation
ROI of experimentation, a "contentious" topic
Personalization, a "spicy" topic
Transformation into a Centre of Excellence
The significant shift from client-side to server-side testing
... and of course Generative AI
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