Succeeding with DevOps; it's not about DevOps. John ClaphamIt seems almost impossible to hide from extravagant claims about DevOps; bring operations and development together and you're almost guaranteed improved resilience, speed of execution, and quality - all at reduced cost. In reality just starting, never mind sustaining, DevOps ways of working is challenging. One reason is that IT seldom exists in isolation; it interfaces, and interferes, with many parts of the business. This talk explores why those external factors are critical to the success of DevOps, what can be done to encourage them, and how developing a DevOps culture can help, or hinder, the wider organisation.

John Clapham@JohnC_Bristol

Cotelic

www.cotelic.uk

Succeeding with DevOps; it's not about DevOps

When adopting, or evolving DevOps it is tempting to focus just on tech and those two teams…

Dev Ops

Narrow focus on Development and Operations has risks:

Narrow focus on Development and Operations has risks:- Over optimisation in one area sub-

optimises the system

Narrow focus on Development and Operations has risks:- Over optimisation in one area sub-

optimises the system- Efficiency gains may be useless if other

systems don’t change.

Narrow focus on Development and Operations has risks:- Over optimisation in one area sub-

optimises the system- Efficiency gains may be useless if other

systems don’t change.- Closer connections between groups may

weaken other connections, leading to new silos.

Design(Product, UX)

Build(Dev)

Run(Ops)

Idea! Customer

Design(Product, UX)

Build(Dev)

Run(Ops)

Idea! Customer

Agile

Design(Product, UX)

Build(Dev)

Run(Ops)

Idea! Customer

Agile

!

Design(Product, UX)

Build(Dev)

Run(Ops)

Idea! Customer

DevOps (Epoch 1)

Design(Product, UX)

Build(Dev)

Run(Ops)

Idea! Customer

DevOps (Epoch 1)

!

Design(Product, UX)

Build(Dev)

Run(Ops)

Idea! Customer

DevOps (Epoch 2)

Design(Product, UX)

Build(Dev)

Run(Ops)

Idea! Customer

DevOps (Epoch 2)

Win!

Our sociotechnical systems are more like nature’s eco-systems than the manufacturing systems we often discuss.

A well intentioned goal…

A well intentioned goal…

…an unanticipated outcome

Our business is to make our teams great, without unknowingly compromising other parts of the system.

1. Understand your organisation’s goal

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sovietuk/2499720301

The elevator test: Can you explain the goal in a short journey between floors?

Public goals are crucial rally points…

Public goals are crucial rally points……encouraging feedback, conversation and contribution

Striving for Continuous Delivery joins up the whole organisation.

Empower teams to measure progress towards their goals

https://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/171141073/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/suckamc/2047005694/

2. Know your impact on the system

https://www.flickr.com/photos/turbojoe/421680689

What do other departments expect?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tombricker/8641228250

We give them…

We give them…

Roll back!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jvk/6721198/in/photostream/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/p2puniversity/6869896417

In pursuit of DevOps we are asking for drastic changes to roles, behaviours, and relationships…

…although sometimes we don’t ask, we expect.

3. Prepare for change

https://www.flickr.com/photos/arthurjohnpicton/4383221264/

"The curse of knowledge: better-informed people find it difficult to think about problems from the perspective of

lesser-informed people.“

Kubler-Ross Change Curve

- We take time to get used to new ideas.

Roger’s innovation & Adoption Curve.

- We take time to get used to new ideas.- We react to change by stalling, supporting or suppressing.

David Viney - J Curve Effect observed in change.

- We take time to get used to new ideas.- We react to change by stalling, supporting or suppressing.- Our appetite for risk determines our pace of change.

TL;DR?- Consider people’s reaction to change, use feedback, take a community approach.

4. Prepare to change yourself.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/100915417@N07/9625565178

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything”

- George Bernard Shaw

DevOps is not just about new thinking, its about renewal…

…a little self awareness goes a long way

Sir, are you aware your bonus system is driving teams apart?

3. Learn how to learn

https://www.flickr.com/photos/59104528@N08/6015476029/

Generative (Performance oriented culture)- High Cooperation- Messengers Trained- Risks are shared- Bridging Encouraged- Failure leads to enquiry

- Westrum’s Topology Of Organisational Culture (excerpt)

Listen, diversely…

Reflections…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/uk_pictures/3483034558/

Dev OpsDevOps !=

What is good for your team, isn’t necessarily good for the organisation...

1. Understand your organisation’s goal…so teams can pull in the same direction

1. Understand your organisation’s goal…so teams can pull in the same direction

2. Know your impact on the system…do your actions help or hinder?

1. Understand your organisation’s goal…so teams can pull in the same direction

2. Know your impact on the system…do your actions help or hinder?

3. Prepare for change…to speed adoption and improve engagement

1. Understand your organisation’s goal…so teams can pull in the same direction

2. Know your impact on the system…do your actions help or hinder?

3. Prepare for change…to speed adoption and improve engagement

4. Learn how to learn – system wide…in order to continuously improve

Questions?

John Clapham@JohnC_Bristol

Cotelic

www.cotelic.uk

Thanks!

References…

My blog, Erratic Mumblings:http://johnclapham.wordpress.com/

Slideshare:http://www.slideshare.net/john.clapham/presentations

The Kubler-Ross Modelhttp://www.managetrainlearn.com/page/kubler-ross-model

Roger’s Adoption Curvehttp://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_rogers_innovation_adoption_curve.html

David Viney, J Curve (Book) – “The Intranet Portal Guide: How to Make the Business Case for a Corporate Portal, Then Successfully Deliver”