UX experiments / Persuasion
Persuasion · Randomized trial · 600,000 homes
Energy bills: does comparing you with your neighbors change usage?
Energy bills: just your own usage, or a comparison with similar neighbors?
Make your call. Which version won, and why? Decide before you open the result. Guessing first is what trains your judgment.
Made your call? See the result
Energy use fell about 2%.
What happened
The effect was comparable to an 11–20% price increase, at a fraction of the cost, across randomized homes in 17 programs.
Why it worked
A comparison gives a number meaning. Without a reference point, your own usage is hard to judge.
The takeaway
Give numbers a reference point people care about.
More experiments to call
Practice the call
Call experiments like these every day.
Irreplaceable gives you a few real experiments a day to call before you see the result, and tracks how your judgment improves. Start with a free baseline: 12 decisions, about 12 minutes.