Launching an Innovative Testing Tool for the World’s Top Newsrooms

A testing tool that enabled editors to optimize headlines and images through real-time experimentation.

Background

Chartbeat is a real-time analytics platform that helps media organizations understand how readers engage with content. Editors use it to monitor traffic, track attention, and make quick editorial decisions that improve content performance.

The Challenge

Homepage editors needed a way to improve click-through rates by selecting the most effective images and headlines. Although they had access to real-time traffic data, they lacked a way to test combinations and learn what actually worked. Most decisions were based on instinct rather than evidence.

The Solution

I led the design of a multivariate testing tool that allowed editors to experiment with image and headline pairings directly on the homepage. They could test visuals, headlines, or both at once, then use live engagement data to choose the highest-performing version.

The Outcome

We developed and validated the concept in a one-week design sprint. The prototype received strong buy-in and was approved for development. By 2020, the tool had launched and was being used by major news sites to improve homepage engagement. It became a new product offering that contributed to revenue growth.

My Role

As Lead Designer, I facilitated the sprint, worked closely with product and engineering to shape the concept, and guided the experience from initial research through to final implementation.

Prototoype

Click play to view a prototype.

Sprint Documentation