Method guideGrowth

Growth Experiment

A practical method guide: clarify prerequisites and materials, understand the complete process, and look up outputs, pitfalls, and stop criteria.

ComplexityMedium

Time1-2 Wochen

Participants1-6

FormatWorkshop + async

MaturityEstablished

Prepare plan

Prerequisite

What needs to be finished first

Complete firstClear scope

One prioritized, testable assumption and an intervention whose signal can be attributed to the goal.

Without a boundary, data, perspectives, or flows become mixed.

Complete firstAccess to evidence

Relevant people and sources can be included.

Gaps remain visible; missing evidence must not be invented.

Preparation

What needs to be ready before start

Materials

Shared workspace, accessible sources, and a decision log.

People / roles

Growth owner · domain perspective · analytics · decision maker

Pre-read

Clarify the question, timeframe, data access, roles, and known uncertainties in advance.

Time needed

Preparation and run time depend on signal, traffic, and risk; review after the defined test window.

Setup

Create a shared version. Label facts, assumptions, and decisions separately.

Core question

The one question this method answers

Which uncertain growth assumption will we test, and what result changes our next decision?

Flow

Phases with goal, actions, output and pitfall

A Growth Experiment tests a prioritized growth assumption with a small, measurable intervention. Comparing expectations with results supports the decision to test again, scale, or discard the idea.

Assumption, bounded test, and learning decision

Fictional worked example

Test a prioritized growth assumption with a small measurable intervention and learn whether the next step is justified.

Assumption

Name bottleneck, goal, and uncertain assumption.

A sample lesson before sign-up makes the first course clearer.

Intervention

Describe intervention, mechanism, and measurable behavior change.

Landing page shows one lesson; a random 50% of visits see it.

Signal

Record duration, audience, measurement, and harm mitigation.

Completion of lesson one within 7 days; support requests as guardrail.

Learning

Record observed signal, uncertainty, and follow-up decision.

More starts, no clear rise in completed lessons; cause unresolved.

Fictional learning platform: assumption that a sample lesson increases activation. Intervention: show a sample lesson before sign-up. Success measure: share of new landing-page visitors completing lesson one within 7 days. Guardrail: support requests. A bounded four-week test shows more starts but no clear change in completions; next step: interview about the barrier, no broad rollout.

Configuring Experiments · Statsig Docs

1
Assumption
Select a growth assumption
Goal
Is the assumption risky and actionable?
Inputs for this step
- Growth goal, bottleneck, and evidence
Actions
- Name bottleneck, audience, mechanism, and existing evidence.
- Is the assumption risky and actionable?
Output
Prioritized growth assumption
Prioritized growth assumption
Quality check
Is the assumption risky and actionable?
Pitfall
Idea shipped without a testable assumption Name mechanism and observable signal before investing.
Timing: Part of the agreed work block; research may be separate.
2
Hypothesis
Form a learning hypothesis
Goal
Does the signal distinguish activity from impact?
Inputs for this step
- Risky assumption and desired behavior
Actions
- Specify intervention, expected behavior, signal, and possible harm.
- Does the signal distinguish activity from impact?
Output
Intervention hypothesis with success signal
Intervention hypothesis with success signal
Quality check
Does the signal distinguish activity from impact?
Pitfall
Proxy mistaken for growth Connect activity to behavior along the agreed user outcome.
Timing: Part of the agreed work block; research may be separate.
3
Test
Run a bounded test
Goal
Can harm be detected and stopped in time?
Inputs for this step
- Smallest useful intervention and safeguards
Actions
- Predefine scope, safeguards, duration, and instrumentation; run the smallest useful test.
- Can harm be detected and stopped in time?
Output
Bounded test with safety boundary
Bounded test with safety boundary
Quality check
Can harm be detected and stopped in time?
Pitfall
Intervention too large for rapid learning Reduce scope without losing the signal or safeguards.
Timing: Part of the agreed work block; research may be separate.
4
Learning
Turn learning into a decision
Goal
Does the signal support the conclusion?
Inputs for this step
- Outcome, uncertainty, and alternatives
Actions
- Compare results with expectation and choose follow-up test, scale, or stop.
- Does the signal support the conclusion?
Output
Learning decision and next test
Learning decision and next test
Quality check
Does the signal support the conclusion?
Pitfall
Result over-interpreted Document uncertainty, timeframe, and alternatives beside the decision.
Timing: Part of the agreed work block; research may be separate.

Artifact

What comes out at the end

Sketch: what the artifact looks like

Growth Experiment · Hypothesis to Learn/ShipPlan and evaluate a growth hypothesis as measurable test, then translate it into learning or rollout

Form

Versioned result with question, evidence, open issues, next action, ownership, and review date.

Versioning / ownership

Record date, scope, sources, and changes. Preserve earlier observations.

Tool alternatives

Whiteboard or paper
Shared spreadsheet
Versioned project space

experiment-plan-markdown.md

Short plan for hypothesis, test design, success criteria, and decision.

Experiment Plan

Hypothesis

We believe that ...

Target audience

Who are we testing for?

Test design

What exactly will participants or users do?

Success criterion

We count the test as positive if ...

Risks and limits

What can the test not prove?

Decision afterward

If positive: ... If negative: ...

Owner and date

...

growth-experiment-working-template.md

Prepare Growth Experiment with a clear question, roles, and sources.

Growth Experiment: Worksheet

Question

To be confirmed

Desired outcome

To be confirmed

Scope

Plan the full method Time: Set according to scope and available evidence

Complete this worksheet on paper or in your own document during the work.

Preparation for this scope

Method setup

Materials: Shared workspace, accessible sources, and a decision log.
Roles: Growth owner · domain perspective · analytics · decision maker
Advance information: Clarify the question, timeframe, data access, roles, and known uncertainties in advance.
Overall time needed: Preparation and run time depend on signal, traffic, and risk; review after the defined test window.
Setup: Create a shared version. Label facts, assumptions, and decisions separately.

Prepare for the work steps

Assumption: Select a growth assumption

Growth goal, bottleneck, and evidence

Hypothesis: Form a learning hypothesis

Risky assumption and desired behavior

Test: Run a bounded test

Smallest useful intervention and safeguards

Learning: Turn learning into a decision

Outcome, uncertainty, and alternatives

Assumption, bounded test, and learning decision

Assumption

Name bottleneck, goal, and uncertain assumption.

...

Intervention

Describe intervention, mechanism, and measurable behavior change.

...

Signal

Record duration, audience, measurement, and harm mitigation.

...

Learning

Record observed signal, uncertainty, and follow-up decision.

...

Blank worksheet: start with a bounded question. Enter observed facts only, mark assumptions, and record open questions and sources.

Configuring Experiments · Statsig Docs

Assumption: Select a growth assumption

Expected artifact: Prioritized growth assumption

Prioritized growth assumption

Entry:

...

Is the assumption risky and actionable?

Hypothesis: Form a learning hypothesis

Expected artifact: Intervention hypothesis with success signal

Intervention hypothesis with success signal

Entry:

...

Does the signal distinguish activity from impact?

Test: Run a bounded test

Expected artifact: Bounded test with safety boundary

Bounded test with safety boundary

Entry:

...

Can harm be detected and stopped in time?

Learning: Turn learning into a decision

Expected artifact: Learning decision and next test

Learning decision and next test

Entry:

...

Does the signal support the conclusion?

Open questions and next steps

...

Method guide: https://methodatlas.meierhoff-systems.de/en/methods/growth-experiment/run-sheet

Example output

Concrete filled scenario, fictional example

Fictional example for orientation. Counts and timings describe this case and are not universal requirements.

growth-experiment-beispiel.md

Concrete filled scenario, fictional example

Fictional worked example

All names and values are invented for illustration. Unresolved explanations remain questions.

Pitfalls

Recognize symptoms and steer against them

Quick overview, the full text is in the matching phase in the flow

Select a growth assumptionIdea shipped without a testable assumptionView in phase
Form a learning hypothesisProxy mistaken for growthView in phase
Run a bounded testIntervention too large for rapid learningView in phase
Turn learning into a decisionResult over-interpretedView in phase