Author: Soundarya S
Target Role: SQL Developer + Business Analyst
You know that feeling when you spend 20 minutes scrolling through Netflix and then just... give up and close the app? That's not just you—it's a massive problem for Netflix.
Here's what happens:
- Users open Netflix excited to watch something
- They scroll... and scroll... and scroll
- Decision fatigue kicks in
- They close the app without watching anything
Why Netflix cares:
- Lower engagement = unhappy users
- Unhappy users = people canceling subscriptions
- Lost revenue and platform trust
This project digs into the data behind this frustrating user experience.
Instead of just theorizing about the problem, I built a real analytics system to measure it:
1. Data Foundation
- Created a proper database structure (dimension + fact tables) to track viewing sessions
- Modeled how users actually behave: browsing, scrolling, clicking, watching (or giving up)
2. Realistic Test Data
- Generated 100+ viewing sessions that mirror real user behavior
- Different user types, different times of day, different outcomes
3. Analytics That Answer Real Questions
- How long are people scrolling before they watch something (or quit)?
- Which recommendations actually work?
- What patterns exist in users who successfully find content vs. those who give up?
- Who's most at risk of decision fatigue?
4. Business Recommendations
- Turned the numbers into actual actions Netflix could take
- Identified which user groups need the most help
- Suggested concrete UX improvements based on the data
Here's the thing: anyone can write SQL queries.
What separates a SQL developer from a business-focused analyst is this:
- I didn't just build tables and write queries
- I asked: "Why are users frustrated?" and "What should we do about it?"
- I connected technical work to a real business problem that costs Netflix millions
This project shows I can:
- Design data models that reflect real-world behavior
- Write SQL that answers business questions (not just technical ones)
- Think like both an analyst AND a stakeholder
- Turn data into decisions
- SQL Server (T-SQL) – Database design, ETL, analytics queries
- SSMS – Development environment
- GitHub – Version control and documentation
Documentation
Full technical writeup, SQL scripts, and business case study available in the /docs folder.
This isn't just a portfolio project—it's a demonstration of how data work should connect to business impact.
I used SQL to understand why users close Netflix, and more importantly, what could fix it.