Most A/B tests happen in a vacuum. The data team runs them, shares results in a document nobody reads, and the cycle repeats. This guide shows you how to break that cycle.

The Engagement Problem

Here's what happens in most organizations:

Product team requests an experiment
Data/growth team implements it
Experiment runs for 2-4 weeks
Results get documented somewhere
Nobody outside the data team reads the results
Original requestor ships whatever they were planning to ship anyway

The result: Experiments happen, but they don't matter. No one learns. No decisions change.

Why Engagement Matters

When team members actively engage with experiments:

Better decisions: Results actually influence what gets shipped Faster learning: Patterns across experiments become visible Improved intuition: People develop better instincts about users Higher velocity: More experiments get prioritized and run Stronger culture: Data-driven thinking becomes the norm

The Engagement Spectrum

Teams fall somewhere on this spectrum:

Level 1: Invisible

Experiments happen, but most people don't know about them. Results live in documents that aren't shared widely.

Level 2: Broadcast

Experiments are announced. Results are shared. But there's no interaction or feedback loop.

Level 3: Interactive

Team members can comment on experiments, ask questions, and engage with results actively.

Level 4: Participatory

Team members predict outcomes, compete on leaderboards, and have stake in experiment results.

Level 5: Cultural

Experiments are how the team thinks. No major decision happens without testing. Everyone participates.

Goal: Move your team up this spectrum. Each level represents a 2-3x improvement in experiment value.

Strategy 1: Make Experiments Visible

You can't engage with what you can't see.

Experiment Announcements

When a new experiment launches, broadcast it:

Where to announce:

Dedicated Slack channel (#experiments)

Team all-hands meetings

Weekly newsletter

What to include:

Hypothesis in plain language

Why this matters

Expected timeline

How to bet/predict (if using gamification)

When experiments conclude, share results proactively:

Timing: Within 24 hours of reaching significance Format: Clear winner/loser with key takeaway Distribution: Same channels as announcements

Experiment Digest

Weekly summary of:

New experiments launched

Experiments completed

Key learnings

Upcoming experiments

Strategy 2: Create Feedback Loops

Engagement requires interaction, not just broadcast.

Prediction Systems

Let team members predict outcomes before results are in:

Why it works:

Forces people to think about hypotheses

Creates investment in outcomes

Makes results personally relevant

How to implement:

Simple: Poll in Slack asking which variant wins

Medium: Spreadsheet tracking predictions

Full: Purpose-built tool like ExperimentBets

Discussion Threads

Create space for discussion:

Thread on each experiment announcement
Dedicated channel for experiment discussions
Regular experiment review meetings

Retrospectives

After major experiments, host retrospectives:

Questions to discuss:

What did we expect vs. what happened?

Why did we get this result?

What do we do differently next time?

What related experiments should we run?

Strategy 3: Add Game Mechanics

Gamification dramatically increases engagement.

Predictions & Betting

Team members wager virtual coins on experiment outcomes:

Benefits:

Stakes create attention

Leaderboards drive competition

Pool payouts reward conviction

Leaderboards

Public rankings based on prediction accuracy:

Design principles:

Reset regularly (quarterly)

Celebrate participation, not just wins

Show personal progress, not just rank

Achievements

Badges and milestones:

First prediction
10-prediction streak
Correct underdog pick
Season champion

Seasons

Time-bounded competition periods:

Fresh starts for everyone
End-of-season recognition
Prevents runaway leaders

Strategy 4: Incentivize Participation

Make engagement rewarding.

Recognition

Publicly celebrate:

Most accurate predictor
Best hypothesis submitter
Most engaged team member
Experiment of the month

Career Integration

Connect experimentation to professional growth:

Include in performance reviews
Recognize in promotions
Feature in team meetings

Team Competitions

Friendly rivalry between teams:

Department vs. department
Pod vs. pod
Historical comparisons

Strategy 5: Lower Barriers

Make it easy to participate.

Where Work Happens

Bring experiments to existing workflows:

Slack-first approach:

Announcements in Slack

Betting in Slack

Results in Slack

Leaderboards in Slack

Why it works: No new tools to learn, no context switching.

Mobile Access

Many team members aren't at desks all day:

Ensure experiment tools work on mobile
Send push notifications for new experiments
Make predictions possible from anywhere

Time Expectations

Be clear about time investment:

Reading an announcement: 1 minute
Placing a prediction: 30 seconds
Weekly digest: 3 minutes

Total commitment: Less than 15 minutes per week for full participation.

Implementation Roadmap

Week 1-2: Foundation

Create #experiments Slack channel

Start announcing experiments when they launch

Begin sharing results when they conclude

Week 3-4: Feedback

Add predictions (even informal polls)

Create discussion threads for each experiment

Host first experiment retrospective

Week 5-8: Gamification

Implement prediction tracking

Create first leaderboard

Run first season

Month 3+: Optimization

Add achievements

Integrate with career development

Expand to more teams

Measuring Success

Track these metrics to evaluate engagement:

Awareness:

% of team who can name current experiments

Participation:

% of team placing predictions

Average predictions per experiment

Impact:

Decision influence rate

Time from result to decision

Culture:

Team satisfaction with experimentation

Hypothesis source diversity

Common Obstacles

"People are too busy"

Start small. Reading an announcement takes 60 seconds. Placing a prediction takes 30 seconds. Make the ask minimal.

"Leadership doesn't participate"

Get one executive to publicly place predictions. Others will follow. Leadership engagement signals importance.

"We don't run enough experiments"

This is a separate problem. Focus on experiment velocity first, then engagement. But even 2-3 experiments per month can support engagement programs.

"Our tools don't support this"

Start with Slack polls and spreadsheets. Purpose-built tools like ExperimentBets can come later.

Tools and Resources

Purpose-Built Platforms

ExperimentBets: Gamification, predictions, Slack integration

Experimentation platform native features: Some platforms have built-in sharing

DIY Approaches

Slack + Google Forms: Predictions via forms, announcements via Slack

Notion database: Experiment tracking with team comments

Spreadsheet tracker: Manual leaderboard updates

Hybrid Approach

Use your experimentation platform for running tests

Add engagement layer with ExperimentBets or similar

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Ready to make A/B testing engaging for your team? ExperimentBets brings predictions, leaderboards, and Slack-native workflows to your experimentation program. Get started in minutes.