Why has adoption of CircleCI's macOS execution environments declined among mobile app developers in the last 60 days?

Introduction

The recent decline in adoption of CircleCI's macOS execution environments among mobile app developers is a concerning trend that requires immediate attention. To address this issue, I'll employ a systematic approach to identify, validate, and resolve the root cause while considering both short-term and long-term implications for our product strategy.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking there might have been a recent change in our macOS offering. Has there been any significant update to our macOS execution environments in the last 90 days?

Why it matters: Recent changes could directly impact adoption rates. Expected answer: Yes, there was a major version update. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd focus on investigating the changes and their potential side effects.

• Considering user segments, I'm curious about the distribution of this decline. Is the decrease uniform across all mobile app developers, or are certain segments (e.g., iOS vs. cross-platform) more affected?

Why it matters: Helps identify if the issue is universal or specific to certain user groups. Expected answer: The decline is more pronounced among iOS developers. Impact on approach: We'd tailor our investigation and solutions to the most affected segments.

• Given the competitive landscape, I'm wondering about our market position. Have there been any significant moves from our competitors in the mobile CI/CD space recently?

Why it matters: External factors could be driving users to alternative solutions. Expected answer: A major competitor launched a new mobile-focused CI/CD offering. Impact on approach: We'd need to assess our competitive positioning and value proposition.

• Considering potential technical issues, I'm thinking about system performance. Have we observed any changes in build times, success rates, or other key performance indicators for macOS environments?

Why it matters: Performance degradation could lead to decreased adoption. Expected answer: There's been a slight increase in average build times for macOS. Impact on approach: We'd focus on optimizing performance and investigating the cause of slowdowns.