Weekly active users (WAU) for iPhone app dropped. What happened?

Introduction

The sudden drop in Weekly Active Users (WAU) for our iPhone app is a critical issue that demands immediate attention and a thorough investigation. As we delve into this problem, we'll employ a systematic approach to identify the root cause, validate our hypotheses, and develop both short-term fixes and long-term solutions.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation, I'd like to ask the following questions:

• What's the exact percentage drop in WAU, and over what time frame did this occur?

• Are there specific user segments (e.g., age groups, regions) more affected than others?

• Have there been any recent app updates or changes to the App Store listing?

• Are we seeing similar trends in other metrics like Daily Active Users or retention rates?

• Has there been any change in our marketing efforts or user acquisition strategies?

• Are there any known technical issues or increased crash rates during this period?

Why these questions matter: Understanding the scope, timing, and context of the WAU drop is crucial for narrowing down potential causes and formulating targeted hypotheses.

Hypothetical answers:

• WAU dropped by 15% over the past two weeks
• The drop is more pronounced among users aged 18-24
• We released a minor update (version 2.3.1) three weeks ago
• DAU has also decreased, but not as sharply as WAU
• No significant changes in marketing or user acquisition
• Crash rates have remained stable

Impact on solution approach: These answers would help us focus our investigation on recent app changes, potential issues affecting younger users, and the relationship between daily and weekly usage patterns.