What caused the sudden 30% decrease in flight search volume for domestic routes in Indonesia on Traveloka yesterday?

Introduction

The sudden 30% decrease in flight search volume for domestic routes in Indonesia on Traveloka yesterday is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This significant drop in a key performance metric could have far-reaching implications for our business, user experience, and market position. To address this problem effectively, 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 this could be a sudden change. Was this drop observed at a specific time or gradually throughout the day?

Why it matters: Helps pinpoint potential technical issues or external events. Expected answer: A specific time would suggest a technical issue, while gradual decline might indicate user behavior changes. Impact on approach: Sudden drop would focus on technical root causes, gradual on user experience or market factors.

• Considering user segments, I'm curious if this affected all user types equally. Did we see any differences in the drop across user segments (e.g., business vs. leisure travelers)?

Why it matters: Identifies if the issue is universal or specific to certain user groups. Expected answer: Variation across segments could indicate targeted issues or changes in specific user behaviors. Impact on approach: Segment-specific drops would lead to more focused investigations on those user groups.

• Given the specificity to domestic routes, I'm wondering about our competition. Have we noticed any significant changes in competitor offerings or marketing for domestic flights recently?

Why it matters: Helps rule out or consider market-driven causes. Expected answer: Recent aggressive competitor actions could explain the shift in user behavior. Impact on approach: Strong competitor activity would shift focus to market positioning and user retention strategies.

• Thinking about recent changes, have we deployed any updates to our search algorithm, UI, or backend systems in the past week?

Why it matters: Identifies potential internal causes related to recent changes. Expected answer: Recent deployments could directly link to the observed drop. Impact on approach: Recent changes would focus the investigation on those specific updates and their potential impacts.