Meaningful tests are those that align closely with real-world scenarios to ensure a piece of software is both reliable and robust against practical issues. Rather than striving for indiscriminate 100% test coverage, meaningful tests prioritize stability and functionality, particularly in critical areas that could lead to system failures or significant disruptions if untested or poorly tested.

These tests not only verify that the code works as intended in expected situations, but they also encompass edge cases and potential error states under unexpected conditions. Meaningful testing involves understanding the use cases that genuinely impact user experience and system reliability. This requires focusing on integration tests, performance tests, load tests, and user acceptance testing, all of which emulate the stresses faced during actual operation.

Practically, it means focusing resources on areas like end-to-end workflows, crucial business logic, security vulnerabilities, and performance bottlenecks. Tests should also trigger alerts only under scenarios that would necessitate immediate intervention, thereby reducing false positives and unnecessary alerts.

In essence, meaningful tests seek to prevent critical issues that would trigger a disruptive 3 AM call, ensuring that the system continues to operate smoothly and that any alerts are genuinely indicative of a significant problem.