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Logging and basic analytics

Day 19 of 30 · Generative AI 2026: Build AI Apps and Agents

One-liner: Track usage and outcomes without overcomplicating analytics.
Time: 20 to 30 min
Deliverable: Logging Plan and Basic Event Capture

Learning goal

You will be able to: Define basic logging and analytics that support debugging and product decisions.

Success criteria (observable)

  • Core events are listed.
  • Each event has a purpose.
  • A simple dashboard or log view exists.

Output you will produce

  • Deliverable: Logging Plan and Basic Event Capture
  • Format: Event list plus sample logs
  • Where saved: Repo and course folder notes

Who

Primary persona: Digital nomad setting up basic analytics Secondary persona(s): Users affected by reliability Stakeholders (optional): Collaborators

What

What it is

A short list of events and logs that show how users use the product. It supports debugging and early product decisions.

What it is not

It is not a complex analytics pipeline or data warehouse. It is a light setup for a small app.

2-minute theory

  • A few key events provide most of the insight you need.
  • Good logs make failures diagnosable.
  • Over tracking wastes time and adds risk.

Key terms

  • Event: A logged action like request sent or output generated.
  • Dashboard: A place to view key metrics quickly.

Where

Applies in

  • Backend logs
  • Product analytics

Does not apply in

  • Visual design tasks

Touchpoints

  • Log viewer
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Alerting rules

When

Use it when

  • You ship a feature to users
  • You need evidence of usage

Frequency

Set once, review monthly

Late signals

  • You cannot answer basic usage questions
  • Debugging takes too long

Why it matters

Practical benefits

  • Faster debugging
  • Clearer product insights
  • Better reliability monitoring

Risks of ignoring

  • Blind spots in usage
  • Slow incident response

Expectations

  • Improves: clarity and control
  • Does not guarantee: full analytics accuracy

How

Step-by-step method

  1. List 5 to 8 core events.
  2. Define why each event matters.
  3. Add a simple log viewer or dashboard.
  4. Review logs weekly.

Do and don't

Do

  • Start with a short event list
  • Tie events to product questions

Don't

  • Track everything
  • Ignore privacy concerns

Common mistakes and fixes

  • Mistake: Too many events. Fix: Keep only core events.
  • Mistake: No review cadence. Fix: Add weekly review.

Done when

  • Core events are listed.
  • Events have clear purposes.
  • Logs are reviewable.

Guided exercise (10 to 15 min)

Inputs

  • Product promise
  • Key user actions

Steps

  1. List core events.
  2. Add a reason for each.
  3. Choose a log view.

Output format

Field Value
Event
Purpose
Log location
Owner

Pro tip: If you cannot explain why an event matters, remove it.

Independent exercise (5 to 10 min)

Task

Remove one event and confirm you still answer key questions.

Output

Revised event list.

Self-check (yes/no)

  • Are core events defined?
  • Are purposes clear?
  • Is a log view available?
  • Is privacy considered?

Baseline metric (recommended)

  • Score: 6 events defined
  • Date: 2026-02-06
  • Tool used: Notes app

Bibliography (sources used)

  1. Google Analytics Academy. Google. 2024-01-01. Read: https://analytics.google.com/analytics/academy/

  2. Logging Best Practices. Grafana. 2024-01-01. Read: https://grafana.com/docs/grafana/latest/fundamentals/logs/

Read more (optional)

  1. Event Tracking Guide Why: Examples of useful events. Read: https://segment.com/docs/connections/spec/track/