Why did daily active users for Hotstar's live sports streaming drop 30% last week?

Introduction

The sudden 30% drop in daily active users for Hotstar's live sports streaming last week is a critical issue that demands immediate attention and thorough analysis. As we delve into this problem, we'll employ a systematic approach to identify, validate, and address 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 be a seasonal aspect. Has there been a similar drop in user engagement during this time in previous years?

Why it matters: Seasonal patterns could explain the drop and inform our solution approach. Expected answer: No significant seasonal pattern observed in previous years. Impact on approach: If true, we'd focus more on recent changes or events rather than cyclical factors.

• Considering the specificity of the drop, I'm wondering about the affected user segments. Has the 30% decrease been uniform across all user demographics and regions?

Why it matters: Identifying specific affected groups could point to targeted issues or changes. Expected answer: The drop is more pronounced in certain regions or age groups. Impact on approach: We'd investigate factors unique to the most affected segments.

• Given the focus on live sports, I'm curious about the content schedule. Were there any significant changes in the sports events being streamed last week compared to previous weeks?

Why it matters: Content availability directly impacts user engagement in sports streaming. Expected answer: No major changes in the sports calendar. Impact on approach: If true, we'd shift focus to technical or user experience issues rather than content-related factors.

• Thinking about potential technical issues, have there been any recent updates to the streaming infrastructure or app?

Why it matters: Technical changes could lead to performance issues affecting user engagement. Expected answer: A minor update was rolled out two weeks ago. Impact on approach: We'd prioritize investigating the impact of this update on user experience and stream quality.