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Apply PSM rigorously for observational A/B analysis

Last updated: Mar 29, 2026

Quick Overview

English summary: This question evaluates expertise in causal inference and observational treatment-effect estimation, including propensity score modeling, matching strategies, balance diagnostics, overlap assessment, variance estimation, and Rosenbaum sensitivity analysis.

  • hard
  • TikTok
  • Statistics & Math
  • Data Scientist

Apply PSM rigorously for observational A/B analysis

Company: TikTok

Role: Data Scientist

Category: Statistics & Math

Difficulty: hard

Interview Round: Technical Screen

Given observational user-level data where users self-select into receiving a feature, implement PSM to estimate the ATT on 7-day retention. Provide: (a) propensity model specification (logistic vs gradient boosting) and rationale; (b) matching strategy (1:1 NN with/without replacement, caliper choice and computation) and how you’d tune it; (c) formal balance diagnostics (standardized mean differences < 0.1, variance ratios, KS tests) and re-weighting/rematching when balance fails; (d) detection and remedies for lack of overlap (trimming/restriction); (e) variance estimation (Abadie–Imbens vs bootstrap) and when each is valid; (f) Rosenbaum sensitivity analysis—report the Γ at which conclusions flip and how you’d interpret it to a PM.

Quick Answer: English summary: This question evaluates expertise in causal inference and observational treatment-effect estimation, including propensity score modeling, matching strategies, balance diagnostics, overlap assessment, variance estimation, and Rosenbaum sensitivity analysis.

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TikTok
Oct 13, 2025, 9:49 PM
Data Scientist
Technical Screen
Statistics & Math
2
0

Task: Estimate ATT on 7-Day Retention Using Propensity Score Matching (PSM)

Context

You are given observational, user-level product data where users self-select into receiving a new feature. The goal is to estimate the Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATT) for 7-day retention.

  • Treatment (T): user received/used the feature during a defined assignment window (e.g., first 24 hours after signup or feature rollout).
  • Outcome (Y7): binary indicator of 7-day retention (active at least once during days 1–7 after cohort start; measured after treatment assignment to avoid immortal-time bias).
  • Covariates (X): pre-treatment user attributes and behaviors (e.g., country, device, signup channel, pre-period engagement, tenure, predicted activity score). Assumed measured before treatment assignment.

State clearly how you will handle:

  1. Propensity modeling choices and rationale.
  2. Matching strategy and tuning.
  3. Balance diagnostics and remediation.
  4. Lack of overlap checks and remedies.
  5. Variance estimation.
  6. Rosenbaum sensitivity analysis and interpretation.

Deliverables

Provide the following:

(a) Propensity model specification (logistic vs gradient boosting) and rationale.

(b) Matching strategy (1:1 nearest neighbor with/without replacement), caliper definition and computation, and how you would tune these choices.

(c) Formal balance diagnostics (standardized mean differences, variance ratios, KS tests), thresholds (e.g., SMD < 0.1), and what you do when balance fails (re-weighting/rematching).

(d) Detection of lack of overlap and remedies (e.g., trimming/restriction to common support).

(e) Variance estimation approach (Abadie–Imbens vs bootstrap) and when each is valid.

(f) Rosenbaum sensitivity analysis: report the Γ (Gamma) at which conclusions would flip and how to communicate that interpretation to a PM.

Solution

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