Skip to main content
Observe is the operator-facing evidence layer in openboa. It is not the primary shipped wedge today, but it is still a first-class product surface. If it is treated as an afterthought, execution trust collapses into private runtime logs and anecdotal status updates.

​
Core thesis

Observe is the governance and evidence surface for openboa. It is:
  • the operator-facing explanation layer for execution
  • the place where work status becomes accountable
  • the surface that turns raw traces into believable evidence
It is not:
  • the agent runtime itself
  • the source of work commitment truth
  • a generic monitoring dashboard disconnected from business context

​
Why Observe matters

Without a real Observe layer:
  • work can look healthy while execution reality stays hidden
  • agent status becomes private runtime trivia instead of shared accountability
  • governance turns into raw logs instead of believable operator visibility
With a real Observe layer:
  • active execution becomes inspectable
  • blocked or risky work becomes visible early
  • linked chat context and execution evidence stay connected
  • operators can review what happened without entering the worker runtime itself

​
Primary responsibilities

Observe exists to make business execution visible and explainable. That includes:
  • linked work items and execution references
  • operator-facing evidence and recent runtime events
  • blocked, waiting, and degraded-state visibility
  • conversation context that explains why the work exists
  • audit-friendly presentation of what happened and when
At a stable product boundary, Observe should own:
  • execution refs and session linkage
  • operator-facing evidence stitching
  • risk and blocked-state visibility
  • auditability and policy visibility
Observe should not own:
  • chat transcript truth
  • work commitment truth
  • low-level runtime execution mechanics
  • policy enforcement that belongs below the surface itself

​
Relationship to Work

Work defines the commitment and execution object. Observe does not replace that layer. It reads from Work and explains execution around it:
  • what is active
  • what is blocked
  • what evidence exists
  • which agent sessions are relevant
So:
  • Work is execution and commitment truth
  • Observe is evidence and governance truth

​
Relationship to Chat

Observe should read from Chat, not redefine it. Chat provides:
  • transcript facts
  • scope boundaries
  • participant activity
  • recent shared context around a work item
Observe uses those facts to explain execution in business context instead of showing isolated logs.

​
Relationship to Agent

Agent owns session mechanics and local worker execution. Observe should not take over the runtime. It turns relevant execution traces into operator-facing accountability and trust signals.

​
Current code shape

The current repo already contains early Observe scaffolding:
  • src/shared/company-model.ts defines observe as a top-level shell surface
  • src/shared/company-model.ts already carries linked work summaries, linked chat context, and agent evidence structures
  • src/shell/web/components/observe/ contains a first Observe workspace
  • the shared shell model already links work summaries, chat context, and agent evidence
So Observe is not just a future note. It already influences how the shell and shared company model are shaped.