In distributed systems, observability is a critical component for understanding system performance and identifying issues. Gianluca Arbezzano emphasizes the importance of distributed tracing as an essential tool in achieving observability. He draws on his experience at InfluxData to highlight the complexities of modern applications and the need for distributed tracing in development cycles. Observability, he notes, is not limited to production environments but also plays a crucial role in development, where it helps developers understand how their programs work and identify potential issues earlier. By adopting distributed tracing, organizations can gain valuable insights into their systems, improve performance, and reduce downtime.