Why has ELMO Software's Learning Management System seen a 20% drop in course completions over the past month?

Introduction

ELMO Software's Learning Management System (LMS) has experienced a significant 20% drop in course completions over the past month. This decline in a key performance indicator warrants a thorough investigation to identify the root cause and develop effective solutions. I'll approach this analysis systematically, examining both internal and external factors that could contribute to this issue.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking there might be a seasonal component. Has this drop coincided with any particular time of year or business cycle?

Why it matters: Seasonal patterns could explain the drop and inform our solution approach. Expected answer: No significant seasonal patterns observed in previous years. Impact on approach: If seasonal, we'd focus on adapting to cyclical demand; if not, we'd investigate other factors.

• Considering user segments, I'm curious about the distribution of the drop. Is the 20% decrease uniform across all user groups, or are certain segments more affected?

Why it matters: Identifying specific affected groups could point to targeted issues or changes. Expected answer: The drop is more pronounced in enterprise users compared to small business users. Impact on approach: We'd focus on enterprise-specific factors if the drop is concentrated there.

• Thinking about recent changes, have there been any significant updates to the LMS or related systems in the past 1-2 months?

Why it matters: Recent changes could directly impact user behavior and course completions. Expected answer: A minor UI update was rolled out 6 weeks ago. Impact on approach: We'd investigate the impact of the UI changes on user engagement and course navigation.

• Considering the broader context, has there been any change in how course completions are tracked or reported?

Why it matters: Changes in measurement could create false impressions of performance drops. Expected answer: No changes to tracking or reporting methods. Impact on approach: If changes occurred, we'd need to recalibrate our analysis based on the new methodology.