Observability is a concept in engineering that refers to the ability to monitor and diagnose systems and processes in order to understand how they are behaving. Applied observability is the practice of using this concept to improve the performance and reliability of products and services.
Product management is the process of defining, designing, and building products that meet the needs of customers and stakeholders. Applied observability can have a major impact on product management by providing product managers with real-time insights into the behavior of their products and systems. This can help product managers to identify and address issues more quickly, as well as to optimize the performance of their products.
One of the key benefits of applied observability is the ability to monitor the performance of products in real-time. This means that product managers can detect issues as they occur, rather than having to wait for customers to report problems. This can help to reduce the amount of time that it takes to resolve issues, which can improve customer satisfaction and reduce the overall cost of supporting a product.
In addition to monitoring performance, applied observability can also provide product managers with insights into how their products are being used by customers. This can help to identify areas where products are not meeting customer needs, or where there may be opportunities to improve the user experience. For example, if a product manager notices that a particular feature is not being used as much as expected, they can investigate the reasons for this and make changes to improve the feature's usefulness.
Another benefit of applied observability is the ability to track the effectiveness of product updates and changes. By monitoring the performance of a product before and after an update, product managers can determine whether the update has had the desired effect. This can help to ensure that product updates are focused on addressing the most important issues, and that they are effective at improving the product's performance.
Overall, applied observability has the potential to greatly improve the practice of product management. By providing real-time insights into the performance and usage of products, it can help product managers to identify and address issues more quickly, as well as to optimize the performance of their products. This can result in more reliable and effective products, which can help to improve customer satisfaction and drive business success.