Everyone should experiment, but not necessarily with data scientists | with John Meakin, Part 2

The Importance of Experimentation in Product Development This script delves into the common mistakes and underestimated aspects of experimentation in software development, emphasizing its critical role in making informed decisions when implementing changes. It discusses the practical considerations of running experiments, such as the challenges of legal and business constraints, and the importance of integrating experimentation with feature flags for efficient and insightful product development. Highlighting real-world examples from companies like Expedia and Meta, the discussion also covers the engineering costs and cultural shifts necessary to support a robust experimentation framework. Additionally, the script offers career advice for those interested in learning about experimentation, suggesting resources and the foundational knowledge required to understand and apply experimentation principles effectively. It concludes with a thoughtful analogy on product development and exploration, underscoring the value of experimentation in navigating the 'dark room' of uncertain product outcomes. 00:00 Common Mistakes in Experimentation 00:28 The Importance of Running Experiments 02:07 Challenges and Solutions in Experimentation Practices 03:07 The Role of Feature Flags in Experimentation 05:43 Career Advice and Learning Resources for Experimentation 07:39 Designing Effective Interview Questions for Data Scientists 08:42 Understanding Trade-offs and Decision Making in Experimentation 09:49 Closing Thoughts on Product Development and Experimentation