Why use p50/p95 over mean for API response times?
Tests your grasp of statistical distributions for UX metrics. A good answer explains how outliers skew the mean, while percentiles (p50, p95) better represent typical and worst-case user experiences.
This question tests your understanding of how statistical distributions affect user experience metrics. A strong answer explains that the mean is sensitive to outliers, which are common in latency data, and can hide problems. You should then explain that p50 (median) shows the typical user experience, while p95/p99 reveals the experience of your unhappiest users, which often correlates with churn. A common red flag is failing to connect these statistical concepts back to real-world user impact and business goals.
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- #observability
- #latency
- #statistics
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