Design an A/B test for a recommendation algorithm

Last updated: November 24, 2025

Quick Overview

Design an experiment to test the impact of a redesigned homepage. Include sample size calculation, metrics, and analysis plan.

Grubhub
Statistics & Math
Data Scientist
Grubhub
November 24, 2025
Data Scientist
Technical Screen
Statistics & Math
Easy

5

4

1,823 solved


Design an experiment to test the impact of a redesigned homepage. Include sample size calculation, metrics, and analysis plan.

Statistics questions at Grubhub test your ability to reason quantitatively and design rigorous experiments. This Technical Screen question evaluates your understanding of statistical inference and its application to business decisions.

What the Interviewer Expects
  • State the correct formula or theorem with clear definitions
  • Apply the concept to the given scenario step by step
  • Interpret the result in plain language
  • Identify assumptions and when they might be violated
Key Topics to Cover
Regression analysis
Multiple testing correction (Bonferroni, FDR)
Hypothesis testing (H0, H1, p-values)
Bayesian vs frequentist inference
How to Approach This
  1. Define your hypotheses (H0 and H1) clearly before performing any test.
  2. Calculate required sample size BEFORE running an experiment, using power analysis.
  3. Remember the Central Limit Theorem: sample means become approximately normal with large n.
  4. Watch for Simpson's paradox. Always segment data by key dimensions.
  5. Distinguish between statistical significance and practical significance.
Possible Follow-up Questions
  • How would you explain this result to a non-technical audience?
  • How would you design a follow-up experiment based on these results?
  • What alternative statistical method could you use here?
  • How would you handle multiple comparisons?
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Sample Answer
Problem Formulation

To design an A/B test for Grubhub's redesigned homepage, we need to define our null and alternative hypotheses:

  • Null Hypothesis (H0): The redesigned homepage does not have a significant effect o...
Solution Approach

The solution involves several steps:

  1. Sample Size Calculation: We need to determine the number of users required in each group to detect a statistically significant effect. This calculation typi...

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