The analytics implementation checklist

The short version

Before launch, write down the events, fields, retention period, destinations, and people who are responsible for the system. The list should be understandable without opening the codebase.

Test the happy path and the failure path: blocked requests, slow networks, duplicate deliveries, malformed events, and a database that is temporarily unavailable.

Finally, review the report with a real decision in mind. If the implementation collects more than the team can explain or use, it is time to make the system smaller.