Production ML & MLOps

Experimentation & Rollouts

A model that wins offline still needs controlled production validation. Shadow deployments, canaries, A/B tests, gradual rollouts, and rollback criteria turn model launches into safe experiments.
  • Offline metrics are necessary, not sufficient
  • Shadow deployment observes without acting
  • Canaries limit blast radius
  • A/B tests measure product impact
  • Rollback criteria should be predeclared
  • Guardrail metrics protect the system
Safe rollout ladder
Each stage earns the right to expose more users.
Rollout stages
StageAnswers
Offline evalDoes it beat baseline on historical examples?
ShadowCan it run on real traffic without acting?
CanaryDoes a tiny real slice look safe?
A/B testDoes it improve product outcomes?
Gradual rampDoes quality hold at scale?
Full releaseCan we monitor and roll back continuously?
Sources
  • Rules of Machine LearningLaunch and iterate
  • Made With MLTesting and CI/CD
  • Machine Learning Crash CourseProduction ML systems