How can we explain the sudden 30% decline in user engagement with Smartsheet's mobile app over the last two weeks?

Introduction

The sudden 30% decline in user engagement with Smartsheet's mobile app over the last two weeks is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. To address this problem, I'll employ a systematic approach to identify, validate, and resolve the root cause while considering both short-term fixes and long-term strategic implications.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking there might have been a recent app update. Has there been any significant changes or updates to the mobile app in the past month?

Why it matters: Recent changes could directly impact user experience and engagement. Expected answer: Yes, there was an update two weeks ago. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd focus on changes introduced in the update.

• Considering user segments, I'm curious about the engagement drop across different user types. Is the 30% decline uniform across all user segments, or are some groups more affected than others?

Why it matters: Helps identify if the issue is universal or specific to certain user groups. Expected answer: The decline is more pronounced among power users. Impact on approach: We'd investigate features commonly used by power users.

• Thinking about the metric itself, I'm wondering about the specific definition of "user engagement" in this context. Can you clarify how user engagement is measured for the mobile app?

Why it matters: Ensures we're analyzing the correct data points. Expected answer: Engagement is measured by daily active users and time spent in the app. Impact on approach: We'd focus on factors affecting these specific metrics.

• Considering potential technical issues, have there been any reported server outages or performance issues in the last two weeks?

Why it matters: Technical problems could explain sudden drops in engagement. Expected answer: No major outages, but some intermittent slowdowns were reported. Impact on approach: We'd investigate the impact of these slowdowns on user experience.