What factors are contributing to the recent 20% increase in support tickets related to CE Broker's course search functionality?

Introduction

The recent 20% increase in support tickets related to CE Broker's course search functionality is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This surge in user complaints indicates potential problems with a core feature of our platform, which could significantly impact user satisfaction and retention. In this analysis, I'll systematically investigate the root causes, generate data-driven hypotheses, and propose a comprehensive plan to address the issue.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking there might be a recent change in the search algorithm. Has there been any update to the search functionality in the past month?

Why it matters: Recent changes often correlate with sudden metric shifts. Expected answer: Yes, there was a minor update to improve search relevance. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd focus on the update's impact and potential rollback.

• Considering user segments, I'm curious about the distribution of these tickets. Are they coming from a specific user group or evenly spread across all users?

Why it matters: Helps identify if the issue is universal or specific to certain users. Expected answer: The increase is primarily from new users in the healthcare sector. Impact on approach: We'd investigate onboarding processes and sector-specific search requirements.

• Regarding performance metrics, has there been any change in the average search time or the number of searches per session recently?

Why it matters: Performance issues often lead to increased support tickets. Expected answer: Search times have increased by 15% on average. Impact on approach: We'd prioritize investigating backend performance and database optimizations.

• Thinking about the search content, have there been any significant changes in the course database or metadata structure recently?

Why it matters: Content changes can affect search accuracy and user expectations. Expected answer: We've added 5000 new courses from a new education provider. Impact on approach: We'd focus on content integration and metadata consistency checks.