Why has SeatGeek's mobile app experienced a 20% drop in user engagement over the past month?

Introduction

SeatGeek's mobile app has experienced a 20% drop in user engagement over the past month, signaling a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This analysis will systematically identify, validate, and address the root cause while considering both short-term fixes and long-term strategic implications.

I'll approach this problem by first clarifying key details, ruling out external factors, and then diving deep into the product's user journey and metrics. From there, I'll generate data-driven hypotheses, conduct root cause analysis, and propose a structured plan for validation and resolution.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

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

Why it matters: Seasonal trends could explain engagement fluctuations. Expected answer: Yes, it's been compared and the drop is unusual for this time of year. Impact on approach: If seasonal, we'd focus on why this year is different. If not, we'd look at recent changes or issues.

• I'm curious about the specific engagement metrics affected. Is this drop consistent across all engagement metrics (e.g., daily active users, session length, ticket purchases), or are some metrics more affected than others?

Why it matters: Helps pinpoint where in the user journey the problem is occurring. Expected answer: The drop is most significant in daily active users and session length. Impact on approach: We'd focus on app opening triggers and in-app experience if DAU and session length are most affected.

• Considering user segments, I'm wondering if this drop is uniform across all user types. Are we seeing any differences in engagement between frequent users and occasional users?

Why it matters: Identifies if the issue is global or specific to certain user groups. Expected answer: Frequent users seem less affected than occasional users. Impact on approach: We'd investigate what's different about the occasional user experience or what might be deterring them specifically.

• Given the suddenness of the drop, I'm thinking about recent changes. Have there been any significant updates to the app or backend systems in the past 1-2 months?

Why it matters: Recent changes often correlate with sudden metric shifts. Expected answer: A new search algorithm was implemented about 6 weeks ago. Impact on approach: We'd closely examine the impact of this algorithm on user experience and engagement.