How to gauge if your DevOps transformation is on track

Implementing DevOps is neither straightforward nor linear. Putting in place smart approaches that encapsulate both technology and culture is fundamental for managing the highs and lows

To compete today, let alone thrive, organisations must innovate quickly and build software that brings high business value. When implemented successfully, DevOps practices offer a multitude of benefits to organisations, enabling teams to pinpoint potential issues earlier and innovate faster with less risk.

In fact, the 2021 World Quality Report recently found that Agile and DevOps adoption is rising steadily, with DevOps enabled teams now regarded as the orchestrators of quality within the enterprise. By using DevOps practices, organisations can deliver high performance applications in a shorter timeframe than their competitors.

Getting DevOps right, however, is easier said than done. While many organisations have made the decision to undertake a DevOps transformation, scaling this in hybrid IT environments without compromising quality, security and availability can present major challenges. Here are a few ways organisations can gauge if their DevOps transformation is on track.

Manage the 'J Curve' effect

From the outset, it is important to remember that putting in place a DevOps strategy requires completely changing current approaches to building and delivering software. Key stakeholders need to recognise that DevOps does not just involve transforming the technology, but also the culture of the organisation.

Early adopters have highlighted a common theme across their DevOps journeys: the 'J Curve' effect. This describes a pattern of initial quick wins, followed by a slower and, at times, frustrating stage where teams are tasked with solving more difficult problems. In many cases, this can have a negative impact on team morale, particularly as new obstacles arise in a constantly moving environment. More than ever before, teams are up against shifting business objectives, changes within the organisation and a market that is in a state of continual flux.

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Effectively managing the 'J Curve' effect is dependent on taking a 'Kaizen' approach, a Japanese term that refers to the practice of continuous improvement and a DevOps principle. This involves having a clear picture of the current state of the organisation, establishing the desired future state and making improvements until the gap has been bridged. Crucially, to ensure teams have a clear view of each stage of the transformation, these improvements should be incremental.

Understand the current state of the technology value stream

When a culture of continuous improvement has been established, teams need to determine exactly what needs to be enhanced. This requires having a thorough understanding of the current state of the technology value stream - the process of creating a technology service from a business idea.

A value stream can be split into two sections: ‘product design' and ‘development and product delivery'. Many organisations start with the DevOps practice of continuous delivery. Yet by focusing on the product delivery stage, organisations fail to factor in potential hold-ups in the product design and development process. For this reason, making improvements earlier in the value stream can accelerate time to market and cut costs.

As such, it is important that the full value stream - not just product delivery - is managed and optimised from the beginning.

Connect the dots between outputs and outcomes

When it comes to measuring the performance of software teams, many organisations make the mistake of focusing solely on outputs rather than considering outcomes. This approach fails to capture the relationship between the product and the effect it has had on the end user. Just because something has been built and brought to market does not mean it will create economic value for the business. It's important to remember that creating the best product does not necessarily equate to business success, particularly if the market is already flooded with cheaper, 'good enough' alternatives.

Gauging the success of a DevOps strategy, then, should involve looking at both productivity and business outcomes. This could mean looking at the outcome of reducing a cycle time, whether that be faster feedback, improved customer satisfaction or fewer outages, or exploring the link between increased deployment streams and new online revenue streams.

By connecting the dots between team outputs and the value delivered to end users, organisations will be better positioned to determine if their DevOps implementation is on track and therefore make any necessary adjustments.

Use KPIs as a learning tool

To create a ‘learning organisation' successfully, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) should be regarded as a guide - not the be-all-and-end-all. This means moving away from the mind-set that the performance of individuals and groups can be assessed by measuring them against set numerical targets and simplified metrics. Not only does this method stifle creativity, but it also removes a team's sense of self-determination. The frequency of such reviews is often found wanting in many organisations. Tracking performance at the end of a delivery cycle/release or even annually is of limited value given the fast-moving nature of modern delivery. Adding a culture of ongoing review and feedback increases the value of all KPIs.

Management teams should see metrics as a learning tool, enabling them to find barriers to progress and implement processes to overcome them. This way, they can better motivate DevOps teams and effectively foster a culture of innovation. With ongoing review, these barriers can be identified more readily and earlier in and delivery cycle.

Smart approaches

Like any transformational journey, implementing DevOps will not be straightforward nor will it be linear. While there will be many positive outcomes, there will also be a number of key challenges. Putting in place smart approaches that encapsulate both technology and culture is fundamental for managing the highs and lows.

In order to understand the challenges inhibiting value-based delivery, organisations have to disassemble silos of value and see the end-to-end process as a single supply chain. Ideas and concepts feed the start; business value is delivered at the end.

Through focusing on the full technology value stream, applying continuous improvement practices and continuously reassessing measurement including the role of KPIs, enterprises can make the most of their DevOps strategy. Ultimately, this will enable them to develop high quality software that satisfies the needs of the business in a timely manner at a level of quality that exceeds the demands of the end user.

Julian Fish is director, product management at Micro Focus