Building an Effective Observability Strategy: A Comprehensive Checklist - Part 1
This article is the first part of our blog series on effective observability strategies. Be sure to read the second part here.
I should start this article by stating the obvious: In today's fast-paced digital world, the efficiency and reliability of our technological infrastructures have become paramount. As we weave through the complex web of software and systems that support our daily operations, the role of monitoring these systems escalates from a mere task to a critical necessity. However, there's a gaping chasm between simply monitoring and monitoring with a purpose.
While it's widely recognized among engineers that monitoring application functionality - with a focus on the user experience - is paramount, achieving comprehensive coverage that mirrors the user experience can be daunting. Often, observability efforts start strong, focusing on crucial user-oriented functionalities. Yet, the journey to deep observability demands more; it requires a thorough exploration beyond these surface-level checks. This isn't just about technical diligence but about embracing observability as a fundamental part of understanding and improving the user journey.
The truth is, many engineering teams start with the best intentions, aiming to monitor their applications comprehensively. However, they might find themselves constrained by immediate priorities or limited by the initial scope of their monitoring tools. This isn't a failure on their part but a reflection of the challenges inherent in balancing development speed with thorough, user-centric observability.
