Sequence length experiment: study protocol

Define the decision

This page is a proposed research protocol, not a completed study or a report of findings. The decision is: Does adding a useful final step improve outcomes enough to justify the additional recipient burden? The observation unit is one prospect assigned a maximum sequence length. Define the population and owner before collecting records; do not substitute an available convenience dataset without documenting the change.

Work through the procedure

1. Specify shared initial steps, the extra message, stopping rules and a common mature outcome window.
2. Randomize at entry. Preserve suppression and stop-after-reply in both arms; count actual messages as a secondary exposure metric.
3. Before collection, write the primary outcome, observation window, exclusion rules and stopping conditions. Preserve excluded observations with a reason rather than quietly removing them.
4. Pilot the procedure with fictional or owned test data, resolve ambiguous fields, and freeze a dated protocol version before the main run.

Worked example

The following is a synthetic example for this procedure, not a customer result or performance benchmark.

A: two maximum messages; B: three; both stop immediately on a reply or opt-out
Suggested record fields: observation_id, condition, evidence_reference, outcome, exclusion_reason, reviewer, protocol_version
Status: illustrative record only; no study has been run for this page.

Read the result

Use all assigned eligible prospects as the primary denominator. Comparing only recipients who reached the last step introduces selection bias. Keep the numerator, denominator and missing evidence visible. If the available observations cannot answer the registered question, report that limitation rather than selecting a more favorable metric after collection.

Collect the evidence

Observation unit: prospect.

Eligible prospects and approved short and longer sequences sharing the initial steps.

Assign at entry; retain stop-after-reply and suppression in both arms.

Analysis: Outcomes per assigned eligible prospect; never restrict analysis to those reaching the final step.

Download the JSON collection template under Source references. Set an owner, eligibility rules, outcome definition, observation window and sample justification before collecting records. Templates contain no participant data or results; keep original private records outside the public website.

Check before moving on

1. Name the person responsible for collection and review.
2. Check that the evidence can be inspected without exposing private messages or credentials.
3. Record deviations from the protocol and analyze their possible effect.
4. Retain a dated, redacted evidence worksheet with the final interpretation.

Limits and next action

Define complaint and opt-out stopping criteria before launch. A longer sequence is not automatically more productive. Publish results only after the evidence, method and limitations have been reviewed. This protocol provides no benchmark, expected lift or completed-study claim.

Source: Method or workflow reference