Culture: DevOps is pretty inconsistent

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The future is already here — it's just not very evenly distributed.

William Gibson

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https://www.continuousdeliveryconsulting.com/blog/aim-for-operability-not-devops-as-a-cult/

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http://radar.oreilly.com/2010/08/operations-as-the-secret-sauce.html

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DevOps has become an industry that has lost sight of Patrick Debois' original intentions. When Debois formed DevOpsDays -- the first use of the word -- in 2009 DevOps simply meant to have Agile infrastructure, with development and operations working better together.

Theresa Neate

https://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/opinion/How-to-save-DevOps-from-cargo-cult-programming

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"is a mind shift, a cultural shift, a change in the way we do stuff. Culture is at the heart of all DevOps engagements."

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DevOps Hijacked https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/devops-hijacked-shawn-presson-csm-pmp-cmmi/

Ransom note:

We have your DevOps, If you want to see it again Go back and study what DevOps is actually about e.g. Culture, Automation, Measurement and Sharing.

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https://agileweboperations.com/2010/11/25/devops-hijacked-by-technologists/

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We have your DevOps! What went wrong and how to get it back (if you ever had it)!

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http://radar.oreilly.com/2007/10/operations-is-a-competitive-ad.html

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"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

George Santayana

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What is AWS DevOps?

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Conflating DevOps Engineers with Cloud Engineers helps no one...

https://study.com/articles/cloud_engineer_vs_devops_engineer.html

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/comparison-chart-six-sigma-lean-devops-theory-al-diaz/

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Rediscovering the True Essence of DevOps: A Call to Return to Patrick Debois' Vision

DevOps has undeniably become a cornerstone of modern software development and IT operations. However, as the industry has evolved, there's a growing sentiment that it has strayed from its original intent. Theresa Neate captures this shift succinctly: "DevOps has become an industry that has lost sight of Patrick Debois' original intentions." When Debois formed DevOpsDays—the first use of the word—in 2009, DevOps meant having Agile infrastructure, with development and operations working better together.

The Original Vision of DevOps

Patrick Debois introduced DevOps to bridge the gap between development and operations teams. The core idea was to enhance collaboration, streamline workflows, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. The aim was not just technological transformation but cultural and organisational change to support Agile methodologies in infrastructure management.

The Shift in Focus

Over the years, DevOps has grown into a massive industry with many tools, practices, and frameworks. While this growth has brought significant advancements, it has also shifted focus from the fundamental principles Debois envisioned to a more tool-centric approach. This shift has resulted in several key issues:

1. Tool Overload: The market is flooded with tools claiming to be the ultimate DevOps solution. While tools are essential, overemphasising them can lead to complexity and distraction from the core principles of collaboration and agility.

2. Loss of Cultural Emphasis: The cultural aspect of DevOps—promoting trust, transparency, and shared responsibility—often takes a back seat to the technical implementations. This undermines the foundational goal of improving team dynamics and communication.

3. Misalignment with Agile Principles: The original idea of integrating Agile practices into infrastructure management is sometimes overshadowed by rigid processes and bureaucratic workflows, counteracting the agility DevOps aims to achieve.

Rediscovering the True Essence of DevOps

To realign with Patrick Debois' original vision, it's crucial to refocus on the fundamental principles of DevOps:

1. Foster Collaboration and Communication:

   • Encourage open dialogue between development and operations teams.
   • Break down silos and promote cross-functional teamwork.
   • Use tools that facilitate collaboration rather than complicate it.

2. Emphasise Cultural Change:

   • Build a culture of trust and shared responsibility.
   • Promote blameless postmortems to learn from failures without finger-pointing.
   • Celebrate successes and recognise contributions from all team members.

3. Integrate Agile Practices:

   • Ensure that infrastructure management is as agile as software development.
   • Implement iterative processes, continuous feedback, and rapid adaptation.
   • Focus on delivering value quickly and efficiently.

4. Simplify Tooling:

   • Choose tools that align with your team's workflow and simplify processes.
   • Avoid adopting every new tool; focus on those enhancing productivity and collaboration.
   • Regularly evaluate your toolset to ensure it remains effective and relevant.

The Path Forward

Rediscovering DevOps's true essence requires a conscious effort to return to its roots. It's about understanding that DevOps is not just about the tools but about fostering a culture of collaboration, agility, and continuous improvement. By realigning with Patrick Debois' original intentions, we can ensure that DevOps continues to drive meaningful transformation in our organisations.

Conclusion

The evolution of DevOps has brought both advancements and challenges. While the industry's focus has shifted, there is always time to return to the foundational principles Patrick Debois envisioned. By emphasising collaboration, cultural change, and Agile practices, we can rediscover DevOps's true essence and continue to innovate in ways that genuinely benefit our teams and organisations.

What do you think about the current state of DevOps? How can we better align with its original vision? Share your experiences and insights in the comments!

DevOps #Agile #Collaboration #ContinuousImprovement #CulturalChange #PatrickDebois #DevOpsDays #Teamwork #Innovation