You are PM of FB Events and you saw an overnight drop in RSVPs by 10%. How would you go about determining what happened?

Introduction

A sudden 10% drop in RSVPs for Facebook Events is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. As the PM responsible for this feature, I'll employ a systematic approach to identify, validate, and address the root cause while considering both short-term fixes and long-term implications for the product.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• What's the typical daily RSVP volume for FB Events?

• Are all event types affected equally, or is the drop concentrated in specific categories?

• Has there been any recent product update or UI change in the Events feature?

• Are we seeing any corresponding changes in other metrics like event creation or views?

• Have we ruled out any data collection or reporting issues?

• Is this drop uniform across all geographic regions and user segments?

Why these questions matter: Understanding the context and scope of the issue is crucial for effective problem-solving. For instance, knowing if the drop is uniform across event types or regions can help narrow down potential causes.

Hypothetical answer: Let's assume the drop is consistent across event types and regions, ruling out localized issues. There were no recent major product updates, and other metrics like event creation remain stable.

Impact on solution approach: This information suggests we should focus on user behavior or technical issues affecting the RSVP functionality specifically, rather than broader changes in event engagement or regional factors.