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Lyft·Software Engineer·Onsite - Product Sense / Strategy·Intermediate

Intermediate
Jun 2026

Summary

Lyft product analytics interview with a classic metric investigation prompt. Not a lot of context to go on but the question itself was meaty enough to fill the time.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

Rider cancellations at Lyft have gone up by 5%. Walk through how you'd investigate what caused it.

Product Analytics & MetricsRoot Cause Analysis
Author's notes

My first instinct was to jump straight into supply-side explanations like driver ETAs getting worse, but I caught myself and slowed down to segment the 5% first.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the metric definition and validating the data to rule out measurement issues. Then segment the 5% increase by dimensions like time, geography, rider cohort, and product surface to localize the problem. Finally, form hypotheses about root causes (e.g., pricing, ETA, driver behavior, app changes) and test them with data and experiments.

Pro tip: Always check for seasonality and external events (e.g., holidays, weather, competitor promotions) before assuming an internal product change caused the shift. Also, consider that cancellations may be driven by driver-side factors, not just rider-side.

1. Define and validate the metric

Clarify what 'rider cancellations' means (e.g., rider cancels after requesting, before driver accepts, etc.) and ensure the 5% increase is statistically significant and not due to data pipeline issues or logging changes.

2. Segment the data

Break down the increase by time (hour, day, week), geography (city, region), rider demographics (new vs. existing, platform), and product type (Lyft, Lux, Shared). Look for concentrated spikes that point to a specific cause.

3. Form and prioritize hypotheses

Brainstorm potential causes: increased ETAs, driver cancellations leading to rider cancellations, pricing changes, app bugs, competitor promotions, or external events. Prioritize based on likelihood and impact.

4. Test hypotheses with data

Use A/B tests, regression analysis, or correlation studies to validate each hypothesis. For example, compare cancellation rates before and after a pricing change, or correlate with driver supply metrics.

5. Recommend and monitor solutions

Based on findings, propose actionable fixes (e.g., improve ETA accuracy, adjust pricing, fix bugs) and set up monitoring to track the metric post-intervention.

Key Points to Mention

  • Metric definition and data validation to rule out instrumentation errors
  • Segmentation by time, geography, rider type, and product to localize the issue
  • Consideration of both rider-side and driver-side factors (e.g., driver cancellations causing rider cancellations)
  • External factors like weather, holidays, and competitor activity
  • Use of statistical methods (e.g., hypothesis testing, regression) to validate causes
  • Proposal of experiments or A/B tests to confirm causality before implementing fixes

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.