“DevOps” marks the coming together of “development” and “operations”, indicating that responsibilities and tasks performed by a company’s software development and IT operations teams are shared.
Today, DevOps is one of the most talked about software development approaches and is applied within almost every industry-leading company. It goes without saying that using the most agile methods related to software development is the current standard. DevOps is a dominating IT trend and therefore must live up to the most agile standard possible.
For companies making the leap and embracing DevOps to achieve better performance, business success and competitive advantage, let’s take a closer look at how exactly this can be achieved as seamlessly as possible.
Preparing your team of engineers
Firstly, it is crucial to ensure that the IT team is onboard and is providing the right tools for the software developers and engineers to succeed when tackling DevOps. Quite often, tools play an important role as well as the processes implemented to create a seamless transition.
Interestingly, successful DevOps is when it becomes a part of the work culture, rather than an assortment of features, skills or any other competencies related to an individual employee. In order to nail DevOps, it is based on cooperation and information exchange between the team of engineers, so that they can mutually learn about the progress of working on particular aspects and know their capabilities and limitations.
DevOps is a model strictly adjusted to agile methodologies of software development. It is not a model that can be divided into particular phases of the project, rather something applied from start to finish with no limitations. It is difficult to execute the agile methodology without the DevOps work culture ingrained in the company. This becomes particularly visible during the period of offering software as a service, when continuous delivery is a priority.
Understanding velocity and agility of the organisation
Implementing a dedicated process to DevOps is usually an integral part when a business is transforming digitally. Digital transformation has been a hot topic, gaining traction in the industry due to its popularity, due to the pandemic. Yet, it is also common knowledge that digital transformation isn’t a one-stop-shop and requires long-term dedication. As such, the implementation of a committed and skilled DevOps process is a great way to maintain this transformation in a way most suited to your organisation’s needs.
Therefore when it comes to embedding DevOps principles into existing teams via DevOps specialists, it’s important to understand the release velocity – referring to working with both speed and direction – and agility of the organisation to deliver great results, aiding digital transformation. A challenge for many companies will be running up against roadblocks. In other words, their traditional processes which typically block moments of innovation and technological breakthroughs. An open-minded organisation looking to embrace technical change is more likely going to achieve the best results in today’s fast-paced business landscape.
Outsourcing to third-party software development companies will also offer a solution when overcoming moments of hesitation. Coupled with outstanding technological ability and agility, a well-outsourced nearshore partner automatically becomes an extension of the IT team. Working closely with the company, the software team will be able to work to the same release velocity of the organisation, while bringing technological expertise to the table.
Investing in a DevOps principle means that an organisation has decided to undergo a digital transformation. This is a big step and a process that mustn’t be rushed or underestimated. As part of the digital transformation process via DevOps, building a successful team will come down to the organisation’s ability to focus on their people and their skills rather than the outdated systems that often block new innovations. More often than not, outsourced nearshoring partners will offer organisations the ability to quickly and easily slot in a new DevOps team or become a completely new arm of the company. Overall, the main aim will be to aid this technological development and transformation. By providing outstanding agility and the ability to mould themselves to the needs of the business, organisational velocity will be maintained.
In today’s technological environment, it is not a case of choosing to invest in technology or not, it’s a necessity. DevOps has proven an effective and innovative way to do this. The first steps are, as always, the most important and can determine the success of the whole transformation. Through perseverance, an open mind and the right set of software engineers, you’ll be well set on your way to truly disrupt the traditional ways of working.
Adam Brodziak is a DevOps Architect at Future Processing, exploring Kubernetes, Docker, Cloud, AWS.
