The IT Black Hole

A decade ago, challenges in IT operations, particularly in forecasting and cost allocation, were often referred to as a "black hole" due to their complexity and opacity, a problem that persists despite advancements in DevOps and agile methodologies. This difficulty is rooted in human biases, as described by Frederic Bastiat, where visible features are overestimated and unseen operational factors are undervalued, leading to planning and measurement challenges. PagerDuty addresses these issues by focusing on three key areas: people, data, and tools. By optimizing personnel engagement, improving information quality through data, and ensuring seamless integration with existing tools, PagerDuty aims to prevent and resolve IT incidents efficiently. The company's approach is designed to enhance the operational resilience and effectiveness of IT teams, ensuring that both visible and unseen aspects of operations are adequately managed.