Without careful observation and measurement, the true costs of operating a system remain invisible. Like a utility meter tucked away in a basement, lack of visibility enables wasteful habits. Making meters more visible can profoundly shift behaviors.

Though observation requires investment, not implementing adequate monitoring is shortsighted. The adage warns, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” Tracking utilization, spending, errors, and more, is crucial for cost management.

When critical cost metrics are placed front-and-center before engineers and their business partners, more sustainable practices emerge organically. Ongoing inspection lets you spot excess spend and tune operations to trim expenses. The return on investment in observability typically far outweighs the expense.

Most importantly, keeping costs in the forefront encourages sustainable practices.