Investigating High Daily Downloads but Flat DAU
Scenario
Adobe Express reports approximately 1M daily downloads, yet daily active users (DAU) remain flat.
Assume:
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Daily downloads = app store installs on iOS/Android (unique devices), inclusive of organic and paid.
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DAU = unique users who generate a qualifying in-app event per calendar day (e.g., app open or key activity), de-duplicated by user/account where available.
Task
Daily downloads are high but DAU is not growing. Outline a rigorous plan to investigate and resolve this discrepancy.
Your answer should cover:
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Data cuts and instrumentation checks you would run.
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Analyses (time series, funnels, cohorts) to diagnose where the gap occurs.
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Key hypotheses that could explain the pattern and how you would test them.
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Experiments or causal methods to validate fixes and measure impact.
Hints to Consider
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Funnel drop-offs: install → first open → permissions → sign-up/login → activation event → repeat use.
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Activation and retention cohorts (D0/D1/D7/D28).
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Organic vs. paid installs; incrementality of paid channels.
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Device/platform/app version issues (crashes/ANR, app size, OS compatibility).
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User feedback (reviews, CS tickets, surveys) and store listing performance.
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Reinstalls, duplicate devices, cross-platform cannibalization (mobile vs. web).