IT landscapes are becoming increasingly complex. Gaining insight is essential. Observability enables organisations not just to measure, but to truly understand what’s happening within their systems. In a conversation with experts Marina Pollehn and Jitse Klomp from Conclusion Xforce, it becomes clear why observability is the foundation of modern IT services. 

Today’s IT environments are built from a mix of cloud solutions, containers, databases and microservices. Marina explains: “Monitoring a single server is easy. But when multiple systems together cause an issue, things get complicated. Observability helps combine symptoms into a clear picture of the root cause.” 

Jitse adds that observability benefits more than just IT: “It also helps the business. By linking technical disruptions to business impact, you gain insight into the real consequences of incidents.” 

Real-world examples

One striking example comes from a client case where a performance issue couldn’t be traced using traditional monitoring. With the right observability setup, the problem was pinpointed to a specific line of code. Jitse recalls: “We were able to stand beside the user and proactively report the issue – even before they noticed it themselves.” 

Another example involves an e-commerce platform: “Any delay in the checkout process costs revenue. Observability makes the link between technical issues and lost sales visible.” 

Observability breaks down silos. Within the Conclusion ecosystem, there are opportunities to share knowledge and tooling. Jitse notes: “When multiple labels use the same tools, they can benefit from each other’s insights. Observability is also a metaphor for collaboration.” 

Pitfalls and best practices

IT complexity will only increase. According to Marina and Jitse, observability is the key to control. It also lays the groundwork for automation. “Insight without action is like a smoke alarm without a fire brigade,” says Jitse. By linking observability to automation, systems can respond to incidents independently. 

In summary: observability isn’t a hype – it’s a necessity. It provides insight, speeds up problem-solving and connects IT with the business. With the right tools, knowledge and collaboration, observability becomes a powerful asset for any organisation.