Why did Netflix Kids content loading time increase to 10 seconds?

Introduction

Netflix's Kids content loading time increase to 10 seconds is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This performance degradation directly impacts user experience, potentially leading to reduced engagement and customer satisfaction. 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)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking this might be a recent change. When exactly did we start noticing this increase in loading time?

Why it matters: Helps pinpoint potential causes related to recent changes or events. Expected answer: Within the last week or two. Impact on approach: Recent timing would focus our investigation on recent deployments or changes.

• Considering user segments, I'm wondering if this affects all Kids content equally. Are we seeing variations in loading times across different types of Kids content or age groups?

Why it matters: Identifies if the issue is universal or specific to certain content or user segments. Expected answer: The issue affects all Kids content similarly. Impact on approach: A universal issue would suggest a broader system problem rather than content-specific issues.

• Given the specificity of the 10-second loading time, I'm curious about our measurement methods. Has there been any change in how we measure or define content loading time recently?

Why it matters: Ensures we're dealing with a real performance issue and not a measurement anomaly. Expected answer: No changes in measurement methods. Impact on approach: Confirms the validity of the reported issue and focuses on actual performance problems.

• Thinking about recent product changes, have we rolled out any updates to the Kids content section or underlying infrastructure in the past month?

Why it matters: Helps identify potential causes related to recent product or system changes. Expected answer: A recent update to the content delivery network was implemented. Impact on approach: Would direct our investigation towards the recent infrastructure changes and their potential impact.