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Primary vs Guardrail Metrics

EasyA/B Testing & Experimentation00:00
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The question is on your right: Primary vs Guardrail Metrics. Take a moment with it first.

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Problem

Scenario

You are reviewing an A/B test for a product change intended to improve a key conversion outcome. The team agrees the experiment needs one main success metric, but there is debate about which other metrics should be monitored so the change does not improve one outcome while harming the overall user experience.

Question

What is the difference between a primary metric and a guardrail metric in an experiment? How would you explain the role each one plays in deciding whether to ship a change?

Metric Setup

MDE·5% relative lift on conversionGuardrails·Bounce rate, error rate, 7-day retentionPrimary metric·Conversion rate