Interview Insight: Demystifying Root Cause Analysis in Product Management
Author Rajashekara D R
The most common type of Product Management interview question is RCA question (root cause analysis).
The RCA questions are asked to identify the root cause of a problem. The style of this question is open-ended, which means that there is no one right answer. The interviewer is looking for your ability to think critically and solve problems.
Why are RCA Questions Asked?
The interviewee’s goal is to come up with a structured thought process backed by data and reasoning to find the probable cause of the problem.
- To assess your problem-solving skills: RCA questions assess your ability to identify and solve problems in a structured and logical way.
- To evaluate your analytical thinking skills: RCA questions also assess your ability to analyze data and draw conclusions.
- To gauge your ability to communicate effectively: RCA questions allow interviewers to assess your communication skills.
- To understand your approach to problem-solving: Interviewers can learn about your approach to problem-solving by asking you RCA questions. For example, do you tend to jump to conclusions, or do you take a more methodical approach?
- To see how you handle uncertainty: RCA questions can be used to assess how you handle uncertainty.
Types of RCA Questions Asked
Metrics / KPI Related
Example — Instagram is seeing a 20% decrease in daily active users
Drop-Off / User Journey
Example — Users are not completing the playlist creation process on Spotify. They start but drop off before adding any songs
Payments
Example — Transactions on PhonePe have dropped to 20%
Sometimes RCA questions come disguised as general statements too.
Example: Tell us how your thought process will be framed to tackle a decrease in transactions at PhonePe.
A Framework for Answering RCA Questions
Step 1: Clarify and gather context
Step 2: Provide a Structure of your thoughts to the interviewer.
Step 3: Factors that can be a cause Internally
Step 4: Factors that can be a cause Externally
Step 5: Identify the Root cause
Step 6: Summarize the findings
Clarify and Gather Context
Initiate the conversation by seeking clarification on any elements that will enhance your understanding of the issue, help define its scope, and ensure alignment with your interviewer. Don’t hesitate to pose broad questions, such as “How does this affect our core business?” Keep in mind that your interviewer may not provide direct answers but rather guide you toward requesting specific data that a Product Manager would reasonably have access to.
In navigating these conversations, embrace the opportunity to inquire about the broader impact on the core business. While your interviewer may not furnish explicit details initially, this approach can prompt them to steer the discussion toward specific data points pertinent to a Product Manager’s purview.
Provide the Structure of your thoughts to the Interviewer
After obtaining initial context on the presented problem, the next step is to outline a structured approach for resolution. This involves categorizing potential causes as internal or external factors, followed by a comprehensive analysis of relevant data to distill key insights.
Factors that can be caused Internally
Consider all potential internal factors contributing to the problem.
Questions to explore include:
- Have there been recent policy changes, such as additional charges on transactions?
- Was there a significant boost in customer acquisition that might have targeted the wrong audience?
- Are there updates in the software version or alterations in the UI/UX design?
- Additionally, consult with the engineering team to ensure accurate metric logging and inquire about recent changes in calculation methods.
These questions serve as a foundation to formulate hypotheses based on the provided answers.
Factors that can be caused Externally
Consider all potential external factors contributing to the problem.
Questions to explore include:
- Governmental Regulatory Changes
- Any social Media outrages
- Any special campaigns run by competitors
- Any specific event that occurred.
With more data, refine your hypotheses, generate new questions to ask, and refine further. You may find yourself repeating this step a few times. This is normal. Every additional piece of data helps to make your hypotheses more specific.
Identify the Root Cause
After gathering sufficient data and consistently communicating your analytical thought process, you can now pinpoint what you believe to be the root cause of the issue.
Summarize the Findings
Upon consolidating the findings and uncovering the root cause of the problem, it’s time to provide a comprehensive summary, reiterating the steps taken throughout the analysis. You can offer a cohesive and conclusive answer by revisiting each critical stage of the process. This approach ensures a clear and logical conclusion, reinforcing the depth of understanding and setting the stage for further discussion or action.
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