Why has the average search time on LexisNexis's Nexis Newsdesk doubled from 2 seconds to 4 seconds in the last week?

Introduction

The sudden doubling of average search time on LexisNexis's Nexis Newsdesk from 2 to 4 seconds in the past week is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This performance degradation directly impacts user experience and could lead to decreased user satisfaction and potential churn. I'll approach this problem systematically, focusing on identifying the root cause, validating hypotheses, and developing both short-term fixes and long-term solutions.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Given the sudden change, I'm wondering about recent system updates. Have there been any deployments or infrastructure changes in the past week?

Why it matters: Recent changes often correlate with performance issues. Expected answer: Yes, a minor update was deployed last Tuesday. Impact on approach: If confirmed, I'd focus on changes introduced in that update.

• Considering user behavior, has there been a significant shift in search patterns or volume recently?

Why it matters: Unusual user activity could strain the system. Expected answer: No major changes in user behavior have been observed. Impact on approach: If true, I'd shift focus to internal system issues rather than user-driven problems.

• Thinking about data integrity, has the method for measuring search time remained consistent?

Why it matters: Ensures we're comparing apples to apples in our metrics. Expected answer: Yes, the measurement method hasn't changed. Impact on approach: If confirmed, it validates the reported increase as a real issue.

• Regarding system load, have there been any changes in the volume or complexity of indexed content?

Why it matters: Increased data volume or complexity could impact search performance. Expected answer: A large batch of complex legal documents was added last week. Impact on approach: If true, I'd investigate how this new content is affecting search algorithms.