Why has the number of successful deployments in Improbable's IMS (Improbable Multiplayer Services) declined by 30% this quarter compared to last?

Introduction

The decline in successful deployments for Improbable's IMS by 30% this quarter is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. To address this problem, 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 there might be a recent change in the deployment process. Has there been any significant update to the IMS deployment pipeline in the last quarter?

Why it matters: Recent changes often correlate with performance shifts. Expected answer: Yes, there was a major update to the CI/CD pipeline. Impact on approach: If confirmed, I'd focus on the new pipeline's performance and potential issues.

• Considering user segments, I'm wondering if this decline is uniform across all customers. Are we seeing this 30% drop consistently across different customer types or game genres?

Why it matters: Helps identify if the issue is global or specific to certain user groups. Expected answer: The decline is more pronounced in large-scale multiplayer games. Impact on approach: I'd investigate factors specific to large-scale deployments.

• Given the nature of IMS, I'm curious about any changes in game complexity. Has there been an increase in the average complexity or scale of games using IMS this quarter?

Why it matters: Increased complexity could strain the deployment process. Expected answer: Yes, there's been a trend towards more complex, larger-scale games. Impact on approach: I'd examine how IMS handles increased game complexity during deployment.

• Thinking about external factors, I'm considering if there have been any changes in cloud infrastructure. Have there been any significant updates or issues with our cloud service providers?

Why it matters: Cloud infrastructure directly impacts deployment success. Expected answer: There were some reported instabilities with our main cloud provider. Impact on approach: I'd investigate how cloud issues might be affecting our deployment process.