# Controlled experiment

Showing visitors different versions at random and comparing what each group does.

**Source:** “Controlled experiments embody the best scientific design for establishing a causal relationship between changes and their influence on user-observable behavior.” [Controlled experiments on the web: survey and practical guide (Kohavi et al., Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, 2009)](https://exp-platform.com/Documents/controlledExperimentDMKD.pdf)

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Published 2026-10-29. Web page: https://www.mackenziebowes.com/reference/glossary/controlled-experiment