Cluster Randomized Field Experiment

A cluster randomized field experiment (CRFE) assigns intact groups — schools, villages, clinics, workplaces — rather than individuals to treatment or control conditions, and the experiment is conducted in real-world settings rather than a laboratory. Randomization at the group level controls for contamination between conditions while preserving the ecological validity of the natural environment. It is the dominant design for evaluating community-level, school-based, or workplace interventions in public health, education policy, and development economics.