Optimal Experimental Design for Network Experiments under Interference
TL;DR
A network-aware treatment allocation framework is proposed that jointly accounts for allocation balance and network topology via an optimality criterion based on the Fisher information matrix and an efficient local search algorithm is developed that scales to large networks.
Abstract
Experimental design under network interference is challenging because outcomes may depend on the treatment assignments of neighboring units. Existing approaches account for network structure but are typically assessed on small or simplified networks, limiting their applicability to complex real-world settings. We propose a network-aware treatment allocation framework that jointly accounts for allocation balance and network topology via an optimality criterion based on the Fisher information matrix. To address the resulting combinatorial optimization problem, we develop an efficient local search algorithm that scales to large networks. We further study the causal properties of the resulting designs by examining the estimation of total, direct, and indirect treatment effects in the presence of interference. Simulation studies across a range of random graph models, including Erd\H{o}s--R\'enyi, geometric random graphs, preferential attachment, and stochastic block models, illustrate how network topology influences optimal treatment allocations. Applications to college housing and ego-Facebook networks demonstrate the practical advantages of topology-aware experimental designs.