Grafana Cloud
Application Observability
Designing innovative APM and RUM solutions that bridge the gap between seasoned DevOps teams and less technical users adopting observability practices.
Making Observability Accessible
In 2022, our small team had the opportunity to work on creating Grafana Lab's APM and RUM suite. Our mission was to design innovative solutions that leveraged unique capabilities to meet the needs of both seasoned DevOps and SRE teams, as well as less technical users who are increasingly adopting observability practices.
Current users reported frustration with the app's cluttered navigation and lack of clear goals. Our analysis showed a significant drop-off rate among less technical users, with many abandoning the app after just one week.
Understanding User Frustrations
I conducted in-depth interviews with 8 current users and observed a common pain point: difficulty navigating some of our applications to find information tailored to their monitoring goals.
Key Insights
Our analysis revealed that less technical users preferred visual and interactive ways of exploring content. They struggled with technical jargon and complex navigation patterns that were second nature to DevOps professionals.
The challenge was clear: we needed to create an experience that could scale from novice to expert without compromising the power that advanced users expected from Grafana.
Navigation Complexity
Users couldn't find information relevant to their specific monitoring goals
Technical Barriers
Jargon and complex terminology alienated less technical users
Visual Preference
Non-technical users strongly preferred interactive visual exploration
User-Centered Simplicity
I employed a user-centered design approach, focusing on simplicity and discoverability. The solution introduced a new onboarding feature that utilizes simple steps with minimal technical jargon, tailored to users' goals and technical proficiency levels.
Progressive Onboarding
Simple steps with minimal technical jargon, adapting to users' technical proficiency
Visual Discovery
Interactive visual exploration methods replacing complex navigation patterns
Goal-Oriented Navigation
Information architecture reorganized around user monitoring goals, not technical concepts
Design System Contributions
Created illustrations and patterns that support simplicity and visual appeal
Bringing the Vision to Life
Application Observability interface demonstrating the simplified navigation and visual discovery features
Design system contributions including custom illustrations supporting simplicity and visual appeal
Measurable Success
Transforming User Experience
The redesigned Application Observability suite successfully bridged the gap between technical and non-technical users. By focusing on visual discovery and progressive disclosure, we created an experience that scales with user expertise.
- 60% reduction in drop-off rate for new users
- 3x faster time to first meaningful insight
- 45% increase in adoption by non-DevOps teams
- Design system contributions adopted company-wide
Beyond creating innovative design patterns, this project demonstrated how thoughtful design can democratize complex technical tools, making powerful observability features accessible to a broader audience while maintaining the depth that experts require.