Problem validation: Tracing to Viable

Overview

Tracing allows better monitor distributed applications for failures and unexpected performance, especially in microservices architectures. Gitlab current solution offers integration with Jaeger which is an open-source distributed tracing system. The current implementation is minimal. As we mature this category to viable we will be focusing on how we can improve and streamline the workflow between GitLab and Jaeger.

Goals

Identify, define, and understand the customer needs for a tracing solution in order to mature it to Viable.

Deliverable

• Complete opportunity canvas
• Epics and issues to complete in order to move Tracing into Viable

Discovery Plan - Problem Validation

• Fill out opportunity canvas
• Create customer interview guide(GOAL: 5-8 participants)
• Schedule and attend interviews
• Update/refine opportunity canvas
• Review opportunity canvas with Product and UX leadership If approved
• Create epics/issues &2348

Customer Interview Guide - DRAFT

• What is your role and title at your company?
• What would you say your main responsibilities are?
• Do you use GitLab? If yes, in what capacity?
• Do you use APM Tracing tools as part of your work? If so, which one?
• Who is conducing the instrumentation and how?
• How many instrumented applications you have? what language they are written in?
• Can you describe how you use your tracing tool, under what circumstances, and how frequently?
• Can you walk me through a typical workflow using tracing?
• What do you look for in a tracing tool? what types of screens/reports you look at in a tracing tool?
• Do you instrument an app that is not in production?