Using OpenTelemetry to Build More Human-Friendly Systems

Learn how to transform your debugging approach from stress-driven to empathy-driven using OpenTelemetry in this 21-minute conference talk from XO Ruby Portland 2025. Discover practical techniques for implementing OpenTelemetry to create systems that are not only more reliable and easier to debug, but also more considerate of both your users' experience and your development team's well-being. Explore how proper observability tooling can shift your mindset from reactive problem-solving to proactive system design that prioritizes human factors alongside technical performance. Gain insights into building monitoring and tracing solutions that provide clear, actionable data while reducing the cognitive load and stress typically associated with system debugging and maintenance.