First off, what is DevOps? It’s an approach to the software development lifecycle that merges development and operations into one cohesive unit. Before DevOps, these teams worked in silos – but not anymore. DevOps brings collaboration and convergence to the table, allowing for efficient processes, faster deployment, and streamlined life cycles.

According to a Gartner article, 40% of product and platform teams will have integrated DevOps by 2023. Making the switch now ensures boosts in productivity and communication.

Companies making the switch to DevOps might not know where to start. Here is a look at how they can develop a DevOps transition strategy that works.

Making the switch to DevOps

The decision to transition to DevOps has to be unanimous. Central to this decision are the goals and needs of the company, which are generally centered on faster deliveries, with utmost security and efficiency baked in. In 2021, a Bloomberg report on DevOps found that 83% organizations have implemented DevOps practices since 2011. This allows them “to unlock higher business value through better quality software, faster delivery times, and more secure systems”, among other benefits.

Before taking the rewarding plunge, business decision makers need to strategize a transition plan. This includes chalking out goals and needs, and meshing it with the following steps we list out on transitioning to DevOps successfully.

Proving its value by combining software development and IT operations’ strengths, DevOps deploys new technology faster than before, says Forbes, about DevOps.

Here are the five key steps to make the move to DevOps!

1. DevOps, Assemble!

In-house

Great teams are formed by identifying members for their expertise and skills. Team members already on the company’s roster can be reassigned duties according to their core competencies. These skills need to align with DevOps roles and responsibilities. For example, a stack developer may need to be retasked to DevOps software engineering processes. Likewise, site reliability engineers (SRE) may be required to add value to the team.

Outsourced

Not every organization has a team of in-house experts. They may need to engage the skills of DevOps professionals by outsourcing, which could prove to be a bigger project. Hiring, coordinating, and maintaining outsourced workers can weigh heavily on wallets and current resources.

2. Utilize cloud computing & automation

The whole point of DevOps is to streamline processes and eliminate redundancies. By integrating cloud computing and automation, DevOps teams can quickly grow and scale without being hindered by routine processes and maintenance work that can delay timelines.

3. Check it out

While it may be tempting to go all out with the DevOps all-stars, companies need to resist and start small. Focusing on small projects gives teams the scope to see how security, development, and operations processes work out, and engage with each other. Then these processes can be converted into SOPs that can be scaled up to organization-wide larger projects.

4. Testing 1, 2, 3

Speed test

In order for progress to be successful, it has to be tested and monitored constantly. Benchmarks can be set at this point of the transition by comparing notes on current processes and how they stack up to previous processes. These standards will set the template for future software development lifecycles.

Team check

Moving from one work culture to DevOps can be jarring to all or many team members. Check the enthusiasm levels and keep boosting morale at all stages, or help team members level up in training and assist them as they require. It may also be wise to assign someone else who is a better fit.

Analytics check

Gain insights into KPIs and metrics by constantly testing and analyzing your finished processes and lifecycles.

5. Room to improve

Giving teams, processes, and tools the time to grow and fall into place is key. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and nor are DevOps cultures. Timelines aside, DevOps teams need the space and time to adapt to their new environment, a whole new way of thinking, and producing outputs. Every process can be improved upon once the initial steps have been laid out, tried, tested, and analyzed.

While the overall DevOps strategy can prove costly upfront and eat into training time, it saves companies time, money, and resources in the long run. Making the move to DevOps is simple with Aspire Systems creating the transition strategies.

Abstract

Companies looking to make the move to DevOps may be struggling with getting development and operations teams to collaborate and communicate. While it may sound simple, software development lifecycles depend on collaborative team efforts. This creates a more efficient environment that speeds up delivery and deployment of technology.

We list out the five steps that organizations need to implement in order to make the transition to DevOps smooth and successful. It’s easy for DevOps to bear fruit once it’s properly implemented and set in place. Here’s to better software deployment speeds and greater revenue!

 

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