Diagnose a drop in retention
Last updated: August 30, 2025
Quick Overview
The activation rate dropped by 15% this week. Walk through your investigation process.
Plaid
August 30, 202550
11
2,159 solved
The activation rate dropped by 15% this week. Walk through your investigation process.
Plaid asks this during the Take-home Project to assess your product sense and structured thinking. They want to see how you define the problem, identify the target user, prioritize features, and measure success.
What the Interviewer Expects
- Identify the target user and their core problem
- Propose reasonable solutions with basic prioritization
- Define 2-3 key success metrics
- Consider basic trade-offs and risks
Key Topics to Cover
How to Approach This
- Start with the user. Who are they, what problem do they have, and what is their current workaround?
- Use a prioritization framework: impact vs effort, RICE scoring, or ICE scoring.
- Define success metrics using the AARRR framework: Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Revenue, Referral.
- Consider second-order effects. A feature might boost short-term engagement but hurt long-term retention.
Possible Follow-up Questions
- How would you sequence the rollout across different user segments?
- How would you validate this idea before committing engineering resources?
- How would you handle pushback from engineering on feasibility?
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