Root Cause Analysis in Mobile Apps: How to Solve Core Issues

Bugs. Shoddy layouts. Security hazards. These are all issues that drive mobile app developers and analysts crazy. The last thing you want are dissatisfied, disengaged, and frustrated users. After all, the average app loses 77% of daily active users (DAUs) in the first 3 days post-download. It’s a surefire way to sink your app’s reputation.

We might have a general idea of what might be causing users to give negative feedback and churn. But why? You’ll never know for sure unless you get to the root cause of the problem. 

That’s what root cause analysis (RCA) is designed for. By implementing this problem-solving method, you can improve user experiences and uproot long-term app issues. Let’s break down the benefits of RCA, typical app issues it can fix, how to implement it, and more.

What is root cause analysis?

Root cause analysis (RCA) is the technique of getting to the root cause of a problem. 

As part of their continuous improvement efforts, software developers use RCA to pinpoint the core issue of a problem. That way, they can solve it more easily. This process involves collecting and analyzing data to identify key issues.

For mobile applications, analysts may use analytics solutions to implement root cause analysis. This helps them interpret poor app performance, monetization issues, low retention, and other KPIs.

But why exactly is root cause analysis so important in mobile app development?

Benefits of root cause analysis in mobile app development

There are many reasons why mobile app developers and analysts should normalize root cause analysis. These include:

• Enhanced user experience: Developers can provide smoother user experiences by identifying performance issues.
• Cost savings: Regular RCA reduces the need for costly reactive solutions. It can cut out future routine bug fixes and user support issues that can be expensive.
• Improved app reputation: The ability to consistently resolve app issues boosts its reliability among users. Positive reviews and recommendations lead to a stronger reputation.
• Better retention: The fewer problems users will face in the long run, the longer they’ll stay engaged. This will lead to strong retention rates and loyalty.
• Prevents future problems: RCA lets app developers and analysts troubleshoot more efficiently, creating preventative measures.
• Better prioritization: It helps devs’ and analysts’ prioritization issues better, allowing them to handle the most severe problems first.
• Easier error detection: Finding root causes behind bugs and errors makes mobile apps more stable and efficient, ensuring less downtime.

But what are the key issues that mobile app developers and analysts need root cause analysis for?

Common mobile app issues that root cause analysis can fix

Common issues that mobile apps suffer from can fall into a handful of categories. These are usually related to performance, functionality, security, and user experience (UX).

Performance Issues

Mobile apps suffer from performance-related problems all the time. Typical examples include:

• Memory leaks
• Regular crashes
• Slow loading times
• UI issues

If these problems aren’t addressed quickly, users might grow frustrated and leave. This could also lead to poor reviews and deter others from downloading the app. Root cause analysis nips these issues in the bud early, making UX smoother.

Functional Errors

These problems include bugs, glitches, faulty responses, and broken buttons. Functional errors consist of any aspect of the app that doesn’t do what it intended to do. By identifying root causes early, you can maintain user satisfaction and trust.

Security Vulnerabilities

According to studies, 85% of mobile apps have at least one critical security vulnerability. They can leak sensitive user information if security measures aren’t routinely optimized. Typical causes of this include unsafe APIs, poor encryption, and outdated frameworks. RCA is a surefire way to identify these blind spots to maximize in-app security.

UX Flaws

Even if a mobile app, by all intents and purposes, functions adequately, poor aesthetics can also deter users. A lack of design alignment and user testing can be the cause of these issues. Root cause analysis can help teams make their apps more intuitive, and enjoyable.

Now that we know some common issues that mobile apps face, let’s dive deeper into how root cause analysis works.

Conducting root cause analysis in mobile apps

While companies conduct RCA in different ways, there is usually an overlap in key steps. 

Identify the problem

The very first step of root cause analysis is highlighting the general problem.

Your users are leave the app at a specific feature? Which functionality problems are frustrating your user base? What performance issues is your app experiencing?

You can find common issues in app store user reviews, performance analysis (heatmaps, session recordings, etc.), and user feedback.

Collect data

The information you gather from a recurring issue sheds more light on the causes behind it. But also, it will help you better understand how impactful the problem is. It’s essential to know when and where problems are occurring in your app. Tools like Google Analytics can help with collecting app performance data.

Analyze the root cause

This is the process of getting to the core of your problem. Proven RCA methods include:

• 5 Whys: You ask multiple “why” questions to bring you to a logical conclusion, raising the underlying issue to the surface. 
• Fishbone diagram: These visual maps (shaped like a fish skeleton) present potential causes (the bones) of the main issue (the head). Mobile app analysts often use it to find root causes of network connectivity and app architecture issues.
• Fault tree analysis: For more complex issues, this method breaks down app failures into components that are easier to track.
• Pareto model: The principle that 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes.

Implement solutions

Once you have identified the root cause, you can start to strategize how you’ll fix it. This involves planning the solution, executing it, testing its effectiveness, and tracking its results. Typical performance-based solutions include reducing image size, optimizing code, and enhancing server response times.

Tools and techniques for root cause analysis

Now we have a methodical approach in place to pinpoint the root causes of your app’s problems. But what tools can help you execute this plan?

Tool category	Tool examples	Purpose
Data collection tools	Magpi, SurveyCTO, FastField, Jotform, KoboToolbox, CommCare	Gathering key information, and identifying issues.
Analytics solutions	Google Analytics, Firebase, Mixpanel, Amplitude	Tracking performance, user behavior, app usage
Bug tracking tools	Jira, GitHub, Trello, Bugzilla, New Relic, ClickUp	Reporting bugs and glitches, and optimizing issues.
Collaboration tools	Slack, monday.com, Microsoft Teams, Asana, Confluence	Communicating with teams, and managing projects.
Application monitoring tools	Cisco AppDynamics, NewRelic, Dynatrace	Monitoring app performance in real-time, detecting bottlenecks

But there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to root cause analysis. It’s not without its potential hurdles.

Common challenges in root cause analysis

Developers and analysts might face some challenges when implementing root cause analysis. These include:

• Team collaboration problems: Working across departments (e.g. development, product, QA) can lead to miscommunication, lost information, and delays.
• Complexity in identifying the root causes: RCA might not be so effective if many factors contribute to an issue (e.g. user behavior, coding issues, and network failures).
• Time constraints: Analysts can spend a lot of time identifying root causes in detail. This can sometimes lead to the process being rushed, resulting in inaccurate findings.

Ready to Get to the Root of the Problem?

Root cause analysis is a vital component of app performance, security, and UX optimization. By collaborating across teams, collecting data, and systematically identifying root causes, you can weed out recurring problems quickly. 

Combined with the right tools, RCA becomes a game-changing analytical process. Suddenly, you can improve your app’s quality and user satisfaction, setting yourself up for long-term success.