The development of new technologies and better communication methods has created a more dynamic and competitive market in almost all industries. Therefore, the organizations that resist change and forgo the chance of finding new ways to work are destined for failure.
Let’s take companies that develop and deliver software as an example. These organizations are now facing a turning point in their existence. They can choose to continue working with the traditional model (slow, inefficient, and difficult to manage) or they can choose to implement the DevOps model and increase the value they deliver.
You may think the choice is obvious. After all, who wants to continue with a challenging way of doing business when there’s a better way easily available?
The situation is a bit different since DevOps is not easy to implement and the process is different for each organization. Still, with the right steps and a bit of patience, any software company can enhance productivity through DevOps. Even more, we will list the main steps that help set the foundation for a successful implementation.
What is DevOps?
First and foremost, DevOps is a cultural change that takes a collective approach to the traditional software development process. This strategy changes the way executives, IT Operations, and developers think about the software creation process and opens the door to everyone involved.
However, given that it can be a major change for all the employees, DevOps implementations take time and patience. It’s also recommended to discuss the process with a few reliable DevOps consulting providers in order to make sure the implementation will be a success.
In the traditional model, you have developers who conceptualize and write the code, and you have the operation staff, who take the code from developers and work with it in order to make it desirable for the market. As a result, developers and operation staff are always in conflict with each other, since their goals are different.
In the DevOps model, both teams work together towards the same goal – a functional software product. Moreover, due to various research studies, we now know that due to DevOps implementation:
- 63% of organizations managed to increase the quality of their software deployments
- 55% of organizations are now enjoying better cooperation and collaboration
In summary, DevOps is a practice that focuses on collaboration between teams and allows everyone involved to see and participate in the entire process. As a result, all the members work towards the same goal(s) and can share the experience. This means the resulting product will be more stable in the long term and the time needed to produce it will be shorter and without major security incidents.
3 Main Steps to Follow in a DevOps Implementation
#1: Evaluate Your Objectives
“Improved efficiency and productivity“ sounds like an impressive goal, but it’s too general to put into practice. Each organization has its own challenges and production bottlenecks, so it’s mandatory to run a thorough analysis of the current situation. While doing so, you should also identify the main objectives that will be followed during the DevOps implementation.
Quick tip: It’s important to look into both software development issues and organizational structure. A proper DevOps implementation will have an impact on both.
#2: Create Processes that Encourage Collaboration
The traditional work model pits teams against each other by delivering conflicting goals. This way, developers fight with operations staff and vice-versa, resulting in a botched production process.
While some competition is needed to get valuable insight and actionable ideas, when it comes to the production process, collaboration should be the word of the day. A proper DevOps implementation will have developers and IT operations working together towards a common goal.
#3: Be Consistent
Proper change is progressive and consistent and provides employees with the time and space to accept it. Therefore, think about a DevOps implementation as a long-term process, designed in levels. Start small, with changes that don’t impact many processes, and prepare your employees for new steps as the process moves forward.
What to Expect
A successful DevOps implementation comes with new practices and technologies that will help improve the overall software production process. It also comes with a different way of thinking, which will have a deep impact on the organization’s culture. As a result, the level of productivity and efficiency in your organization will rise, leading to better profits and work processes.
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Great post and helpful to learn the vital steps to keep in mind in DevOps implementation. Thank you for sharing with us. Implementing DevOps enables businesses to grow, achieve higher functionality, speeds workflow, crack down barriers, and enhance performance. It helps to shorten SDLC, which benefits organizations and customers.