Why has Bill.com's invoice approval workflow seen a 20% decrease in usage over the past month?

Introduction

The recent 20% decrease in Bill.com's invoice approval workflow usage is a significant concern that requires immediate attention. This analysis will systematically identify, validate, and address the root cause while considering both short-term and long-term implications for the product and business.

To tackle this issue, I'll follow a structured approach that covers:

1. Clarifying the problem context
2. Ruling out external factors
3. Understanding the product and user journey
4. Breaking down the metric
5. Gathering and prioritizing data
6. Forming hypotheses
7. Conducting root cause analysis
8. Validating findings and proposing next steps
9. Creating a decision framework
10. Outlining a resolution plan

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking there might be a seasonal component. Has this 20% decrease been compared to the same period last year?

Why it matters: Seasonal fluctuations could explain the change without indicating a deeper problem. Expected answer: No, we haven't compared it to last year's data yet. Impact on approach: If seasonal, we'd focus on year-over-year trends rather than month-over-month.

• Considering the scope, I'm wondering if this decrease is uniform across all user segments. Have you noticed any particular user groups more affected than others?

Why it matters: Identifying affected segments could point to specific issues or changes impacting certain users. Expected answer: We've seen a larger decrease among small business users. Impact on approach: We'd investigate factors specifically affecting small businesses.

• Given the suddenness of the change, I'm curious about recent updates. Have there been any significant product changes or system updates in the past month?

Why it matters: Recent changes could directly correlate with the usage decrease. Expected answer: We rolled out a new UI for the invoice approval workflow two weeks ago. Impact on approach: We'd focus on the impact of the UI change and user adoption.

• Considering potential technical issues, I'm wondering about system performance. Have there been any reported increases in errors or system downtime during this period?

Why it matters: Technical issues could be driving users away from the feature. Expected answer: Our error rates have remained stable, but we haven't closely monitored performance. Impact on approach: We'd investigate performance metrics and user-reported issues more closely.