Software Diagnostics and Observability Institute

From memiotics to observability and Codesign

PDF: https://www.dumpanalysis.org/files/Semiotics_in_My_Work_on_Software_Diag...

A memory dump, a trace, or a log contains signs of software structure and behavior. Their diagnostic meaning depends on how they were produced, what they refer to, and the context in which I interpret them. A familiar message can suggest completion when it records only acceptance. A recurring pattern can direct an investigation while leaving its cause unresolved.

In this article, I trace the semiotic thread in my work from memiotics, introduced in 2008, through analysis pattern icons, symbolic notation, software narratology, and trace linguistics to pattern-oriented observability and Codesign with large language models. I begin with an overview of semiotics and connect its concepts to concrete diagnostic examples. Articles, books, pattern descriptions, and seminar transcripts provide the historical references.

The discussion brings together memory interpretation, meaningful trace units, diagnostic residues, and the design of interpretable observations. Throughout, I return to the relationship between an artifact, its interpretation, and the claim it supports. What does this sign allow me to say about the software, and what additional evidence do I need?