2019 DevDay
Data Science Drives Improvement
of LINE Messenger
> Taro Takaguchi
> LINE Data Science Team2 Senior Data Scientist /
Manager
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Agenda
> Introduction: Data Science Team
> Challenges in LINE App Improvement
> Improvement of “Create Group” Feature
> Data Science Tools
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LINE App Improvement Project
Data Driven
Diverse
Team
Users First
In-house
Development
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Introduction: Data Science Team
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Organization
Data Science
Team
Engineering
Infrastructure
Data
Platform
Data Science And
Engineering Center
GROWTHY
Platform
Data Labs
Machine
Learning Team
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Coverage of Services
Data Science
Team 2
Data Science
Team 1
Data Science
Team 3
Data Science Team
Data Science
Team 4
Stickers
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Company-Wide Collaboration
Data
Science
Service
Plan
Data Science Is a Part of Interwoven Team
Client
Development
Server
Development
UI / UX
Design
Legal
Info
Security
…
Machine
Learning
Data
Platform
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Cycle of Projects
User Research Development
Test
Feedback
Plan
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User Research
Learning Inside & Outside of Log Data
Focused Interview Online Survey Dashboard Monitoring
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Plan & Development
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Test & Feedback
Online A/B Tests in
our Team (2018 -)
20+
Metrics Monitored
in a Test
100+
Users Targeted
Globally in a
Typical Test
10M+
> Online A/B testing in principle
> In-depth data analysis of results
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Challenges in LINE App
Improvement
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Many People Use LINE in Different Ways
MAU
(4 Main Regions)
164M
Message Types
20+
MAU (JP)
82M
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No Single KPI
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Core Value of LINE App
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Closing the Distance
Easy and Pleasant Communication With Close Friends
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Local Friend Network on LINE
Me
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Diverse and Active Social Contexts
Family
School
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Group Feature
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Improvement of “Create Group”
Feature
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Screen Order Was Not Intuitive?
> 1. Set group icon and name
> 2. Choose members to be invited
User Research
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Swap the Screen Order
> 1. Choose members to be invited
> 2. Set group icon and name
Plan
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No Difference
> Lift in success rate of group creation
Test
JP TH TW ID
No statistical significance
0
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Why Made No Difference?
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Dimensions of Analysis
> Uniqueness of each region?
> Time-dependency?
> Success users? Failed Users?
> …
Feedback
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True Pain Point: Choosing Members Quickly
JP
TW
TH
ID
Not proceed to “group icon and name” screen
Feedback
> Where failed users gave up?
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Potential of Further Improvement
Fail Group Creation
On the Last Day
Never Use Group
Creation Before
Use Group
Creation Before
Succeed Group
Creation Before
Fail Group
Creation Before
65%
7% 28%
Feedback
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Show Recently Chatted Friends Section
Plan
> Scenario: 1-to-1 chat → Create group to invite friends
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Plan B
> Put everything into 1 step to shorten the process
Plan
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A/B Testing for 4 UI Patterns?
Alphabetical + Recent Chat
2 Step
Control
ʢAS-ISʣ
Treatment 1
1 Step Treatment 3 Treatment 2
> Complete order: 6-pair comparisons
> High false positive rate / Large sample size required
Invitee list
# Steps
Test
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Solution: 2-Pair Comparison
> Factorize effects into 2 comparisons
> Moderate false positive rate with small sample size
Alphabetical + Recent Chat
2 Step
Control
ʢAS-ISʣ
Treatment 1
1 Step Treatment 2
Invitee list
# Steps
Test
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Feedback
> Lift in success rate of group creation
JP: T1 JP: T2 TH: T1 TH: T2 TW: T1 TW: T2 ID: T1 ID: T2
No statistical significance
0
No Difference
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JP TW TH ID
Users Can Find Members Quickly
> Reduction in typical time to complete group creation
* statistically significant
* * *
0
Control (AS-IS) vs. 2-step + Recent chat
Feedback
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How About All-in-One Screen?
> Users do not prefer all-in-one screen
Feedback
> Creation of 1-member groups ↑
↓
> Success rate of ≥2-member groups
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How About All-in-One Screen?
> Users do not prefer all-in-one screen
> Creation of 1-member groups ↑
Feedback
↓
> Success rate of ≥2-member groups
> Switch ‘Create group’ → ‘Create chat’ ↑
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How About All-in-One Screen?
> Users do not prefer all-in-one screen
> Creation of 1-member groups ↑
> Switch ‘Create group’ → ‘Create chat’ ↑
Feedback
↓
> Success rate of ≥2-member groups
> Click Done button twice ↑
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Another Pain Point
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Where Is “Create Group” Button?
User Research
> (B) “Add friends” menu
> (C) “Create chat” menu in Chats tab
> (A) Home tab
> (D) No idea
✓
✓
✓
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“Create Group” Option in Create Chat Menu
Plan
> Most of users know how to create a chat
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JP TH TW ID
More Users Create Group Successfully
Test
> Lift in the number of users completing group creation
* statistically significant
*
*
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All Good, Really?
Feedback
> Created groups just instead of chats?
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Good in Total
Feedback
> More users in JP created groups or chats
Group Chat Group or Chat
Lift
0
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All Good, Really?
Feedback
> Eat user traffic to Home tab and Add friends menu ?
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Good in Total
Feedback
> Add friends and official accounts
> Click friends recommendation
> View Home tab
→
→
→
> Click create chat button →
> No negative effects on friending
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Next Phase…
> Increase of “active” groups
User Research Development
Test
Feedback
Plan
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Data Science Tools
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Steps for A/B Test Data Analysis
1. Required sample size
2. Target user slots
3. Monitoring dashboard
4. Test results report
Data Scientist Planner
Designer
Developer
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Steps for A/B Test Data Analysis
1. Required sample size
2. Target user slots
3. Monitoring dashboard
4. Test results report
Data Scientist Planner
Designer
Developer
LIBRA
> Split users into 1,024 randomized slots
> No manual operation necessary
Data Scientist
Use Slots
#654 & #987
Test Spec
Distribution Server
Slot #654:
C
Slot #987:
T
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Steps for A/B Test Data Analysis
1. Required sample size
2. Target user slots
3. Monitoring dashboard
4. Test results Report
Data Scientist Planner
Designer
Developer
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LIBRA REPORT
> Semi-automatic data summarization and visualization
> Tables re-usable for test result analysis
Data Scientist
Processed
Test Results
Register
Query
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R Shiny
> Handy and flexible dashboard
> Early detection of unexpected logs
Also see Poster #P-B2 presented by Motoyuki Oki (DS team 2)
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Steps for A/B Test Data Analysis
1. Required sample size
2. Target user slots
3. Monitoring dashboard
4. Test results report
Data Scientist Planner
Designer
Developer
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Conflr
> R Markdown → Atlassian Confluence wiki
> OSS developed by our team member (https://github.com/line/conflr)
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Wrap-Up
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LINE App Improvement Project
Data Driven
Diverse
Team
Users First
In-house
Development