Ask your colleagues what DevOps is, and you will probably get various answers. Some will touch on the tooling and automation this IT model provides; others allude to team structure. But, no matter the response provided, the conversation generally focus on the advantages this model brings to an organisation and its development teams.
Given the emphasis on agile concepts and the streamlining of development processes in the IT industry, DevOps has become increasingly popular as many companies look to implement this innovative IT model – and for good reasons. DevOps is widely praised for reducing the time between development cycles, which creates a better experience for all parties involved.
But is DevOps suitable for your organisation? To understand this question, let us share what DevOps is about and the benefits you can exerience when implementing this revolutionary IT model.
What is DevOps?
A traditional software development process typically has the software engineers develop a program before handling the codes to IT operations professionals to deploy and monitor the software. Under the DevOps model, the boundaries between the various teams in an organisation are removed, with development and operations working together across the entire development lifecycle.
What are the benefits of DevOps?
1) Faster development lifecycle
The DevOps model aims to streamline the development process to make it faster and more efficient. When both teams (development and operations) utilise the same tools and platforms, they are now working with a shared language, leading to an agile, more flexible workflow.
With faster communication, there is a continuous feedback between the departments. When the operations team notices a bug, they can inform the development team immediately and have it fixed. Reducing the time spent identifying and resolving glitches enable the company to release its applications sooner.
2) Alignment between the teams
Keeping the various teams on the same page and working towards the same goal require constant communication and coordination. Every department is a vital cog in the wheel, and a delay from either team can slow down the whole process. Therefore, it is crucial for everyone to break down barriers and collaborate in a dynamic working environment.
DevOps helps to pave the way by encouraging mutual collaboration. As a result, the line between various teams is blurred as everyone is aligned and focused on delivering the best possible product within the given timeframe.
3) Continuous release and deployment
Modern development teams are expected to adapt to shorter release cycles while maintaining the quality of their software. DevOps can help them cope with the increased demand through automation. For example, automated CI/CD pipelines reduce the time it takes for software engineers to develop and integrate their code, thus speeding up the entire process. Organisations can take this a step further by automating their QA testing to minimise the time it takes to test the code while maintaining its quality.
4) Improved customer experiences
When companies automate their delivery pipelines, they ensure the reliability of their applications and reduce their go-to-market timelines. With faster releases and more stable product performance, customer satisfaction levels are likely to increase.
Conclusion
As the IT industry moves forward, organisations are facing a much faster-paced world. They can no longer rely on conventional development models and still achieve similar results. Therefore, they have to learn to disrupt the status quo in a good way with DevOps.
Suppose your company is interested in adopting this new IT model. In that case, you can consider enrolling in BridgingMind’s Understanding DevOps Workshop on 12 May. Participants can gain a better understanding of DevOps and how it emphasises communication, collaboration, integration, and automation to improve the workflow between the development and operations teams. So hurry up and sign up now before the slots are filled up!
With DevOps’s emphasis on breaking down traditionally siloed development teams, you may also want to consider signing up for our agile courses to complement what you will learn in this workshop. We also offer PMP training for IT professionals looking to expand their skillsets and forge a path in project management.
