Where did the paychecks go?

A root cause analysis question from a product manager interview, set at Kosha, a fictional neobank company.

The question

Skills this case tests

A starting metric tree

New direct-deposit set-ups = sign-ups × share who start a switch × start-to-first-deposit rate

How to approach this case

Clarify what counts as a set-up and when it's counted (the switch request or the first paycheck arriving), and whether the drop is a sudden step or a slow decline across the month. Then walk the funnel from sign-up to first deposit to see whether fewer people are coming in or fewer are finishing. Ask how a customer actually moves their paycheck: if there's more than one way, check each route's conversion and how many people take each route. Segment by type of employer and payroll setup, because gig, hourly and salaried workers are paid in very different ways. Look at what changed on the day the line moved, and find a group that can serve as a control. A strong close puts the lifetime value of lost customers next to any savings and offers a fix with a date.

The full method for root cause analysis questions · A worked example answer

After the mock interview you get scores on five skills, what to fix with quotes from your answers, and the ideal path for this case.