Experiments, testing & rollout · Core
False positive
Also called: Type I error
ELI5
The test says something worked when it did not.
Used in conversation
“Repeated peeking increases false-positive risk.”
Definition
A result indicating an effect when the effect is not real under the tested assumptions.
Here “False positive” means: A result indicating an effect when the effect is not real under the tested assumptions.
Pitch context
You will see “False positive” in product strategy decks, roadmaps, experiments and architecture reviews when the discussion reaches experiments, testing & rollout.
Why it matters: It helps a reader interpret experiments, testing & rollout without confusing the measure, decision, role or evidence being discussed.
Sources & evidence · 2
Supporting source families. This entry is an editorial synthesis rather than a quotation from one canonical glossary.
- Scrum Guides — The Scrum Guide — official current versionSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- National Institute of Standards and Technology — Computer Security Resource Center GlossarySupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16