What factors are contributing to the sudden 30% increase in buffering issues for DAZN's mobile app users watching UEFA Champions League matches?

Introduction

The sudden 30% increase in buffering issues for DAZN's mobile app users watching UEFA Champions League matches is a critical problem 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 issue by first clarifying key details, ruling out external factors, and then diving deep into the product ecosystem, user journey, and relevant metrics. From there, I'll generate data-driven hypotheses, conduct root cause analysis, and propose validation methods and solutions.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking this might be related to a recent app update. Has there been any significant changes to the app in the last 2-4 weeks?

Why it matters: Recent changes could directly impact buffering performance. Expected answer: Yes, there was an update 3 weeks ago. Impact on approach: If true, I'd focus on changes in that update.

• Considering the specificity of Champions League matches, I'm wondering about concurrent user load. Are these issues more prevalent during peak viewing times?

Why it matters: High concurrent users could strain server capacity. Expected answer: Yes, issues spike during match times. Impact on approach: I'd investigate server scaling and CDN performance.

• Given the complexity of video streaming, I'm curious about the technical stack. Has there been any recent changes to the video player or streaming infrastructure?

Why it matters: Technical changes could introduce compatibility issues. Expected answer: No recent changes to core infrastructure. Impact on approach: I'd look more closely at client-side issues or network problems.

• Thinking about user segments, I'm wondering if this is affecting all users equally. Do we see any patterns in terms of device types, OS versions, or geographical locations?

Why it matters: Segmentation could reveal specific technical or regional issues. Expected answer: Issues are more prevalent on Android devices in certain regions. Impact on approach: I'd focus on Android-specific optimizations and regional CDN performance.