Why has the number of daily active users for Zapper's portfolio tracking feature dropped by 30% in the last week?

Introduction

The sudden 30% drop in daily active users for Zapper's portfolio tracking feature is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This analysis will systematically identify, validate, and address the root cause while considering both short-term fixes and long-term strategic implications.

I'll approach this problem by first clarifying key details, ruling out external factors, and then diving deep into product understanding, metric breakdown, and data analysis. From there, I'll generate and validate hypotheses, conduct root cause analysis, and propose a comprehensive resolution plan.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking there might have been a recent product update. Has there been any significant change to the portfolio tracking feature in the last two weeks?

Why it matters: Recent changes often correlate with sudden metric shifts. Expected answer: Yes, a UI redesign was launched 10 days ago. Impact on approach: If confirmed, I'd focus on user experience and adoption issues.

• Considering user segments, I'm curious about the distribution of this drop. Is the 30% decrease uniform across all user types, or is it more pronounced in certain segments?

Why it matters: Helps identify if the issue is global or specific to certain users. Expected answer: The drop is more significant among casual users. Impact on approach: I'd investigate factors affecting casual user engagement specifically.

• Given the nature of portfolio tracking, I'm wondering about market conditions. Have there been any major market events or volatility in the past week that might affect user behavior?

Why it matters: External factors could explain changes in user engagement. Expected answer: No significant market events. Impact on approach: If confirmed, I'd focus more on internal factors and product issues.

• Thinking about data integrity, I want to confirm our metrics. Has there been any change in how we measure or define daily active users for this feature?

Why it matters: Ensures we're not dealing with a data anomaly or definition change. Expected answer: No changes to metrics or measurement. Impact on approach: If confirmed, I'd proceed with confidence in the data's consistency.