Why are Netflix mobile notifications not delivering for 35% of devices?

Introduction

Netflix's mobile notifications failing to deliver for 35% of devices presents a critical issue that could significantly impact user engagement and retention. This analysis will systematically identify, validate, and address the root cause while considering both immediate and long-term implications for Netflix's mobile ecosystem.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the scope, I'm thinking this might be a recent issue. Has this 35% non-delivery rate been consistent, or did it spike recently?

Why it matters: Helps determine if it's a sudden technical issue or a gradual trend. Expected answer: A recent spike in the last week. Impact on approach: A sudden change would point towards technical issues, while a gradual trend might indicate user behavior shifts.

• Considering device diversity, I'm wondering if this affects specific operating systems more. Are we seeing differences between iOS and Android delivery rates?

Why it matters: Identifies if it's a platform-specific problem or a broader issue. Expected answer: Android devices are more affected, with a 50% failure rate compared to 20% on iOS. Impact on approach: Platform-specific issues would narrow our focus to Android-related factors.

• Thinking about content types, I'm curious if certain notification categories are more affected. Do we see variations in delivery rates for different notification types (e.g., new releases vs. continue watching)?

Why it matters: Helps isolate if the problem is content-specific or system-wide. Expected answer: All notification types are equally affected. Impact on approach: A uniform impact across types would suggest a system-level issue rather than content-specific problems.

• Considering recent changes, I'm wondering if any updates were pushed to the notification system recently. Have there been any modifications to our notification infrastructure or app versions in the past month?

Why it matters: Recent changes often correlate with new issues. Expected answer: A server-side update to the notification system was implemented two weeks ago. Impact on approach: This would focus our investigation on the recent update and its potential unintended consequences.