{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Experimentation Edge","title":"Scaling Experimentation: Ancestry’s VP on AI Storytelling, Paywalls, and Decision Quality","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1511,"description":"SummaryWhat happens when A/B testing stops being a tool and becomes your operating system? Suresh Teckchandani, VP of Product & Technology at Ancestry (formerly PayPal and eBay), shares how the team scaled experimentation from isolated tests to capability-building that drives roadmap and revenue. He details the “growth metering” and paywall experiments that unlocked a 5.3% lift in key engagement and improved conversions—then became platform features. Suresh explains Ancestry’s centralized experimentation platform with self-serve access for PMs and engineers, why “obvious” UX changes can be the riskiest, and how removing friction actually hurt engagement by 20–25% due to user mental models. He also breaks down a major growth lever: AI-powered storytelling that turns raw records into narratives, delivering 30%+ CTR lift and a 5x increase in story views. You’ll learn how Ancestry balances input vs. output metrics, when not to test, and why the best leaders optimize for decision quality over win counts—with clean baselines, right audiences, adequate sample sizes, and true statistical significance.Timestamps[00:45] – Ancestry’s experimentation maturity: metering, paywalls, and the 5.3% lift that unlocked capabilities[03:48] – From isolated tests to a capability mindset: experimentation as an operating system[05:34] – Balancing wins with learning: zooming out for subscription engagement and NPS[08:49] – Operating model: centralized platform, self-serve dashboards, and baseline resets[11:59] – Counterintuitive UX lesson: removing friction backfired (–20–25% CTR); respect mental models[15:10] – AI storytelling as a growth lever: record comparisons into narratives, 30%+ CTR and 5x views[18:27] – Input vs. output metrics: when to roll back and how to link short- and long-term outcomes[30:00] – Parting advice: test what changes CX, avoid vanity testing, and optimize decision qualityTakeaways- Build capabilities, not just tests—use experiments to unlock platform features...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/D9kLs0HSsqR4ttk_5ESEdC1jX-wmD76GK-OHmb3a9B8/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80YTFk/MGU1MjJlODhlNjJh/MTdlZTZkN2Q1ODY5/OTdjYy5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}