The goal of this interview series is to inspire and help people to transition their career into a new or next experimentation related role. In this edition Roderik Peeters shares his journey. You can follow Roderik on LinkedIn, www.articans.nl and www.mrporo.nl
I actively engage in meetings and knowledge-sharing sessions outside of my company. I believe that collaborating with other business units and gathering diverse perspectives is crucial for driving innovation.
Roderik Peeters
Hello, everyone! I’m Roderik, from the Netherlands. Currently, I hold the positions of Teamlead Customer Experience and Head of Experimentation at Drukwerkdeal.nl. I’m also an Arctic Outdoor Guide at Arcticans, leading adventurers who are looking for the northern lights through the mesmerizing landscapes of Finnish Lapland. And as if that’s not enough, I have my own business called Tulikettu.com, where I develop mobile applications.
I consider myself a true pioneer, always eager to push the boundaries and learn from my failures along the way. But when I’m not immersed in the digital world, I find solace in creating beautiful wooden crafts, particularly Swedish Kuksa mugs. It’s a delightful way for me to express my creativity and connect with the natural world.
What is your current experimentation role and what do you do?
In my current role, I have the privilege of leading the Customer Experience team and overseeing the entire experimentation program as the Head of Experimentation. It’s an exciting journey where I get to drive innovation and continuously strive for improvement.
How did you enter the experimentation space? What was your first experimentation related role?
My adventure in the experimentation space began with a simple button color test for www.dolfinarium.nl. Our goal was to increase newsletter sign-ups, so we decided to experiment with different button colors to see if it made a difference. As it turns out, the color change didn’t have the desired impact, but hey, we learn from every experiment!
Back in the day, I worked as an online designer for a major e-commerce company. They recognized my potential and nurtured my data-driven mindset. It was during this time that I conducted my first AB test, and that’s when my passion for experimentation ignited. From there, I transitioned into the role of Ecommerce Specialist at kleertjes.com, where I was responsible for continuously optimizing the website. Think of it as being a conversion specialist with a twist. I joined the company during a replatforming phase, which presented its fair share of technical challenges.
How did you start to learn experimentation?
To further enhance my skills in experimentation, I embarked on a journey to uncover conversion killers within our webshop. We meticulously compiled a list of these culprits in an Excel sheet and assigned them PIE scores to prioritize our efforts. But that was just the beginning. I also had to work on building buy-in from the management level, so I decided to further develop my skills. I enrolled in the Master of Online Persuasion program offered by Online Dialogue. It was a game-changer, equipping me with the ability to effectively communicate the importance of experimentation. Shortly after, we partnered with VWO, a renowned experimentation platform.
But my thirst for knowledge didn’t stop there. I actively sought opportunities to expand my expertise by attending conferences and engaging with fellow professionals. Although the experimentation conference scene in The Netherlands is somewhat limited, I made sure to attend events like Conversion Hotel and various data meetups. I dedicated my efforts to improving the three P’s: People, Platform, and Process, striving for maturity in each area.
What are you currently doing to keep up with the ever-changing industry?
I make it a point to actively engage in meetings and knowledge-sharing sessions outside of my company. I believe that collaborating with other business units and gathering diverse perspectives is crucial for driving innovation. Additionally, I find solace in developing mobile applications, which may seem unrelated but actually helps me think outside the box. While working on these apps, I constantly consider user behavior and insights from our experiments. It’s all about making those meaningful connections.
What recommendations would you give to someone who is looking to join the experimentation industry and get their first full-time position?
Start small. Don’t overwhelm yourself with grandiose plans. Craft a well-thought-out strategy focusing on the three P’s: People, Platform, and Process. Begin by prioritizing the platform and take that initial leap of faith. Along the way, identify the promoters within your organization—those who embrace experimentation—and dedicate your energy to collaborating with them. As for the distractors, don’t worry too much. With time, some real-life examples, you can turn them into enthusiastic supporters.
How will AI change how experimenters work?
This really depends on the scope of an “experimenter”. I think overall in the process AI is likely to impact the following topics:
- Design proposals based on design systems
- Automated experiments
- Personalization
- Predictive analytics
- With bigger data-companies real-time decision making
What are your plans for the summer?
Continue with improving our experiment program of course! But also I’m working on one of my new mobile applications and in September I’ll leave the crowded country and take some rest in Finnish Lapland, where I can enjoy the silence.
Thank you Roderik for sharing your journey with the community.
