How can we explain the sudden 30% decrease in student reviews submitted to Niche's college profiles in the last two weeks?

Introduction

The sudden 30% decrease in student reviews submitted to Niche's college profiles over the last two weeks is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This significant drop in user engagement could have far-reaching implications for Niche's value proposition and overall platform health. I'll approach this problem systematically, focusing on identifying potential root causes, validating hypotheses, and developing both short-term and long-term solutions.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking this could be related to the academic calendar. Are we in a period typically associated with lower student engagement, such as final exams or holidays?

Why it matters: Seasonal trends could explain the sudden drop and inform our solution approach. Expected answer: Yes, this coincides with final exam period. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd focus on strategies to maintain engagement during predictable low periods.

• I'm curious about any recent product changes. Have there been any updates to the review submission process or UI in the last month?

Why it matters: Recent changes could directly impact user behavior and review submissions. Expected answer: A minor UI update was implemented three weeks ago. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd prioritize investigating the impact of these changes on user experience.

• Considering user segments, has this decrease been uniform across all types of users, or are certain groups (e.g., prospective students vs. current students) more affected?

Why it matters: Identifying specific affected segments could point to targeted issues or changes in user behavior. Expected answer: The decrease is more pronounced among current students. Impact on approach: We'd focus on understanding what's changed for current students and tailor our solutions accordingly.

• I'm wondering about our data collection methods. Has there been any change in how we track or count review submissions in the past month?

Why it matters: Ensures we're not dealing with a data anomaly rather than an actual decrease in submissions. Expected answer: No changes to data collection or tracking methods. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we can rule out technical issues in our metrics and focus on user behavior and product factors.