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a16z Podcast | Bending Every Pixel to Your Will -- Optimizely and the Next Wave of Internet Tools
11 segments available
Optimizely is a superb example of the democratization of software development. You don't need an engineering degree to fire up Optimizely and start testing how design changes on your website -- down to the pixel level -- affect things like time on site, closing sales, navigation, etc. The a/b testing Optimizely offers is just one example of a new wave of tools born of the internet, and designed for how people work, shop, research and entertain themselves online. Andreessen Horowitz's Scott Weiss, who is taking a seat on the Optimizely board following a16z's recent investment, a16z Partner Tom Rikert, and Optimizely co-founder Dan Siroker discuss the next wave of internet tools, where entrepreneurs are headed next, and how virtually anyone can avail themselves of this technical brawn.
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The Birth of Optimizely
Dan Siroker shares the origin story of Optimizely, detailing how a pivotal moment at Google inspired him and his co-founder to create a platform for A/B testing. He recounts pitching a controversial product idea to Google founders Larry and Sergey, emphasizing the transformative power of framing ideas as experiments.
"hi this is Scott why is some a General Partner here at Andreessen Horowitz and I'm here today with Dan soccer the CEO of Optimizely I'm also here with Tom Reichert another partner here at Andreessen H..."
From Campaign to Company
Dan discusses his experience at the Obama campaign, where he introduced the concept of experimentation. He reflects on the contrast between data-driven decision-making and traditional political practices, highlighting how this experience solidified his vision for Optimizely as a tool for A/B testing and website optimization.
"and actually then you know that seed actually really grew into a blossom when I left Google to go to the Obama campaign and that's where I saw firsthand the distinction between a organization that's a..."
Democratizing A/B Testing
The conversation shifts to the importance of making A/B testing accessible to non-technical users. Dan and Tom Rikert discuss how Optimizely empowers businesses, including Fortune 500 companies, to conduct A/B testing without needing extensive technical expertise, thus democratizing the optimization process.
"enables non-technical business users to do a/b testing so Tom I wanted to hit you with this one because when he just talked about bringing a pap testing to non-technical people you know as you've look..."
The Evolution of Enterprise Software
Tom Rikert highlights the shift in enterprise software towards user-friendly designs that cater to non-technical users. He emphasizes the importance of consumer-grade experiences in enterprise tools and how this trend is reshaping the landscape of software development.
"know one of the things that I've seen over the last four years is you know there's two things happening our customers are getting less patient and their expectations are going up and that combination ..."
Culture at Optimizely
Dan Siroker shares insights into the culture at Optimizely, emphasizing the importance of creating a purposeful work environment. He discusses the company's focus on ownership, transparency, and the unique organizational structure that prioritizes team empowerment.
"look at the new applications like box like Evernote you know a lot of these new applications are built for mobile they're they're built for kind of a HTML user interface and they're intuitive in the w..."
Transparency as a Core Value
Dan elaborates on the significance of transparency within Optimizely's culture. He explains how open communication about successes and failures fosters a collaborative environment and encourages employees to share insights and challenges.
"yeah and I think that's a that's a great point and I think it it's a trend that we've seen and it affects the entire process of of the consumption of our product and I think one way to frame that is y..."
The Future of Mobile Optimization
The discussion transitions to the future of Optimizely, focusing on mobile optimization. Dan outlines the importance of mobile in the enterprise landscape and how Optimizely aims to enhance mobile applications through A/B testing and user experience improvements.
"enterprise software hey there's something that that I brought up a minute ago that I'd like to touch on and that's the culture at Optimizely from the minute you walk in the door to you know every inte..."
Best of Breed in SaaS
Dan and Tom discuss the concept of 'Best of Breed' in the SaaS industry, emphasizing Optimizely's commitment to excellence in A/B testing. They explore the potential for consolidation in the market and the importance of seamless integration with other tools.
"actual culture that materializes we've thought long and hard we have a cultural acronym that we use internally called op defy stands for the cultural values we care about its ownership passion trust i..."
The Role of Integration in SaaS
The conversation highlights the significance of integration in the SaaS ecosystem. Dan explains how Optimizely aims to work harmoniously with other applications, allowing users to create a cohesive workflow that enhances productivity and effectiveness.
"what we don't know and we also are really willing to say and be honest about the mistakes we make and you know we we have a couple of small things we do that I think translate really well into that ef..."
The Promise of Mobile A/B Testing
Dan discusses the unique challenges and opportunities presented by mobile A/B testing. He emphasizes the need for rapid iteration and the ability to make real-time changes to mobile applications to ensure success in a competitive market.
"the natural next step on that journey and we see that not only because that's where the people are but because there's such an opportunity with limited screen real estate to make the right choices abo..."
The Future of Enterprise Software
The segment concludes with a discussion on the future of enterprise software, focusing on the emergence of new franchises like Optimizely. Dan and Tom reflect on the evolving landscape of SaaS and the potential for innovative companies to thrive.
"like a big promise for Optimizely on mobile yeah I agree completely I you know as a firm we've looked at at so many different enterprise companies and we see like these this whole new cast of of compa..."