Rapid testing of new features and algorithms allows organizations to innovate more quickly as well as customize its services to the needs of individuals.
Our lab researchers help social impact organizations test hypotheses about their products or services. We design experiments and analyze the data to determine the impact of interventions on different individuals. Methods for adaptive experimentation, such as multi-armed bandit algorithms, contextual bandit algorithms (that incorporate individual characteristics), and reinforcement learning are important tools to improve an organization’s ability to experiment effectively. These methods need to be carefully tailored to the setting and respect organizational constraints.
Project Abstracts
Read about a few of the research projects the lab is currently working on.
Academic Publications
The Surrogate Index: Combining Short-Term Proxies to Estimate Long-Term Treatment Effects More Rapidly and Precisely
Presidential Address: The Economist as Designer in the Innovation Process for Socially Impactful Digital Products
Machine Learning Who to Nudge: Causal vs Predictive Targeting in a Field Experiment on Student Financial Aid Renewal
Choosing the “Right” Default Donation Amounts for Each Donor to Balance Multiple Fundraising Objectives
Evaluating Treatment Prioritization Rules via Rank-Weighted Average Treatment Effects
Tools & Tutorials
Explore and apply the tools and tutorials created by the lab.
Interviews & Thought Leadership
Learn firsthand from researchers and practitioners associated with the lab.