DevOps is now the top software deployment strategy by a mile — 77% of organizations say they use the approach to roll out new software. This is good news because a DevOps approach is an important marker of business maturity, and its benefits (more on that later) are so tangible that most organizations don’t need to be convinced that DevOps is the future.
The bad news is most organizations are getting DevOps wrong, which is probably why only 10% report that their organization is “very successful” at achieving rapid software development and deployment. My company started its DevOps journey in 2019 as we began to build out the next generation of our ERP software. We were committed to the strategy but made mistakes along the way.
Our experience taught me the typical approach to DevOps (the one we took at first and the one many organizations follow now) is an improvement, but that a mindset shift can truly unlock the DevOps strategy’s potential and enable companies to maximize benefits. Here’s a closer look at where companies can go wrong—and what they stand to gain when they get it right.
What Happens When Organizations Get DevOps Wrong
At its core, the DevOps concept is simple: Operational considerations should be considered at the development stage. As SaaS solutions gained popularity, the idea that issues like downtime should be everyone’s problem gained currency. Many organizations interpreted this to mean there should be a DevOps team that acts as a bridge between the development and operations teams.
It actually makes more sense to merge the teams entirely. If a DevOps team sits in the center, the silos on the development and operations sides still exist. There can be even more communication breakdowns if there are three teams instead of two, and user needs can still be overlooked. A merged operation addresses this by creating a “you build it, you run it” mindset, which eliminates the disconnect.
We’ve found that a merged DevOps group handles operational issues as part of the engineering process from the earliest stages. This approach simplifies the process of identifying and addressing operational issues so that the software is more resilient and does a better job of meeting user expectations.
What Happens When Companies Get DevOps Right
Simply put, making this mindset shift to get DevOps right lets your organization build better products, expedite updates, create greater alignment between teams and execute tasks more efficiently. This improves the experience for everyone, including the organization, its customers and end users.
One of the key benefits is better uptime. If you incorporate operational elements from the beginning, you reduce the risk of failure. When the groups are separated, operations teams often find it difficult to pinpoint issues, and the larger the system, the longer it can take to locate the problem, which can result in unhappy customers and unacceptably long outages.
By merging engineering and operations, you eliminate the tendency of some engineers to regard operations as someone else’s problem. A DevOps strategy that merges the teams makes operations everyone’s problem. And when everyone is subject to late-night calls for help if a problem occurs, it brings home the need to be proactive about preventing issues in the first place. The result is greater stability and reliability—and happier customers.
Maximizing DevOps Benefits
Our experience taught us that merging engineering and operations was the best way to maximize DevOps benefits. It was a mindset shift that didn’t occur immediately; once it did, we realized how powerful it could be. One key component of the shift is to enhance team effectiveness by hiring engineers who are operations experts and honing existing staff skills as necessary.
Another important element is to get software engineers on board with the new approach and make it clear that the change is a priority. It’s easier to coast along as if the present approach is working perfectly, but that prevents your DevOps strategy from reaching its full potential. If you prioritize change and acknowledge the challenges involved, you can overcome them and reap the full benefits.
The consensus is clear: DevOps is the logical next step toward business maturity. But how you implement your DevOps strategy determines the magnitude of the improvement. Merging your engineering and operations teams is a challenge, but the reward is better products, quicker updates, tighter team alignment and an improved experience across the board. Getting DevOps right is worth it.