# Reordering Dashboard Widgets by Recent Use A/B Test

Page: https://alidemirbas.com.tr/en/lab/ab-test-library/tests/reordering-dashboard-widgets-by-recent-use-ab-test

## Hypothesis

If the most recently used widget moves to the top of the dashboard, users may get back to their work without searching for it. Widget interaction rate may go up, though if moved widgets become harder to find, the time to complete the main task could grow.

## When to run this test

Look for users who work hard to reach the same widget at every sign-in: heatmaps with repeated scrolls to one widget low on the page, session recordings with long searches, or usage data on often-used widgets that sit far down. If the new order works, users reach the widget they need faster and finish their main task sooner. If the problem is widget content or slow loading, solve that first; before launch, define protected positions for critical widgets such as billing and important alerts, and add a way to turn personalization off.

## Primary metric

**Widget interaction rate**: Compare the share of assigned dashboard users who open or use at least one widget within the predefined period.

## Other metrics

- **Time to complete the main task**: Check whether users find the information they need more quickly.
- **Missing-widget complaints**: Track support contacts asking where a widget went.
- **Reset-to-default rate**: Track returns to the fixed order within the variant; changing a preference is not automatically a failure.
- **Page load time**: Make sure personalization does not slow the page.

## What to check before and during the test

- **Sort order**: Compare a fixed order with a predefined most-recently-used rule.
- **Update frequency**: Set update frequency in advance; do not compare recency with frequency of use in this test.
- **Keep constant**: Keep widget content, access and user-pinned positions unchanged.
- **Navigation**: Review task time and difficulty finding widgets.
- **Device**: Review mobile and desktop results separately.

## What to watch when reading the result

- A rise in widget interaction can also come from users hunting for a widget that moved. If main-task time grows or missing-widget complaints increase, do not ship on this result. Read resets to the fixed order separately within the variant; that preference alone is not a failure.
- The result is specific to this sorting rule, this update frequency and this dashboard; keep mobile and desktop apart when you read it. Check that ordering relies only on widget usage data, infers nothing sensitive about the user and does not add to page load time.
- When the gap is small, allow for users adjusting to the new layout and muting the effect in the first days, and run the test for the full period you set in advance. At the end, use the [A/B test significance calculator](https://alidemirbas.com.tr/en/calculators/ab-test) to check whether the gap stands out from sampling noise.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Should automatic sorting move pinned widgets?

No. Preserve explicit pinned positions, widget access and contents. Give users a way to disable personalization rather than overriding their choices.

### Does more widget interaction mean tasks are easier?

Not necessarily. Use the defined widget interaction outcome, then inspect task time and reports of missing widgets. Additional searching can increase interactions without improving usability.

### How frequently should the order update?

Choose the update frequency before launch and hold it stable. Comparing recent use against frequent use is a different sorting question.

### What happens to rarely used but critical widgets?

Define protected positions or access rules first. Apply usage-based ordering within those constraints. Low usage does not establish low importance, especially for billing and urgent alerts.