Ask Miss O11y: My Manager Won’t Let Me Spend Any Time Instrumenting My Code

In the text, the importance of code instrumentation in software development is emphasized, arguing that it should be integrated into feature development rather than treated as a separate task. The author suggests that instrumentation is crucial for determining the health and functionality of a system and should be as routine as writing unit or integration tests. By reframing instrumentation as part of the development process, stakeholders might become more open to its necessity. The text highlights the potential of auto-instrumentation as a quick and easy first step and suggests that observability-driven development, combined with test-driven development, can enhance debugging and system documentation. The challenge of backfilling instrumentation into existing systems is likened to previous efforts of integrating regression tests, suggesting it should be included in ongoing development efforts without explicitly stating it. The text concludes by offering further support through developer advocates for those needing additional guidance on advocating for or implementing instrumentation within their organizations.