How to Avoid DevOps Transformation Failure through DevOps Training
Implementing DevOps in an organization basically means changing the entire functional process and altering the way the various teams behave and perform. and just like every other transformational concept of change, DevOps will either be openly accepted by the various themes or rejected by them. It may even be submitted and undermined by individuals and teams who are not ready to change, which will ultimately result in the failure of DevOps implementation. This is something that the modern enterprises have to avoid at all costs, since DevOps implementation is a major reason for success for the majority of enterprises operating in the current Business and IT landscape.
When DevOps implementation does fail, it's not uncommon for internal elements to point fingers regarding the failure. Truth be told, the reasons for the failure of DevOps implementation can be many and can be rooted in the various organizational causes. Despite all of this, it is important to get to the root cause of DevOps failure and find out exactly why which aspect of DevOps implementation did not work and why.
To that end, following are some of the reasons why DevOps implementation may be expected to fail in 2018 as well as how training your teams on DevOps concepts will help them avoid DevOps failure.
Displeasure Against Change of Company Culture
Company usually made up of its people and other people do not want to bring about change within the company then no number of transformational concepts can implement the change. This is exactly the same with DevOps concepts. Since they are very transformational in nature, they do not sit well with teams and individuals who do not want to change the way they think and act. This is in direct opposition to the concepts taught by DevOps, and the Agile mindset, which is at the foundation of DevOps.
Formation of DevOps Implementation Departments
Implementing DevOps into the organization is the responsibility of every manager and executive as well as every team member. This is where the second most common mistake while implementing DevOps comes in. Companies usually form a department solely for the implementation of DevOps principles, not taking into account the somewhat negative disruption that the department will bring about due to the inherent barriers and policy-related red tape. While it is beneficial and positive to be driven and enthusiastic about implementing DevOps, it is much wiser to implement it through the management and the teams themselves rather than a dedicated department.
Doing so will save not only cost and upkeep but also time, since the individuals who would potentially be responsible for the transformation, can focus on their regular task instead, and leave the digital transformation to the organization itself.
Misconceptions Regarding DevOps Tools
When we speak of implementing DevOps principles, it is automatically assumed that a set of new and advanced tools need to be introduced into the various processes and development department. This is not so, as DevOps is not a set of actual software tools and solutions, rather a mindset which encourages the use of conceptual tools to achieve its Agile ends. These conceptual tools have to do with altering the way the existing tools are used, and how the departments collaborate through the use of said tools.
This is not to say that new and advanced software is negative towards the implementation of DevOps. Although it is important to first understand the very meaning of DevOps, which can roughly be explained as the collaborative spirit between the development and operations department. The best approach in this direction will be to first train the various departments and specially the transformation teams to collaborate better before providing them with better development tools.
Considering DevOps as a One-Time Deal
far too many companies are guilty of assuming that DevOps needs to be implemented once and then forgotten as though it has lasting effects. this is a terrible mistake, one that can actually damage the organizational framework instead of improving it. Implementing DevOps once is not enough just as training teams to operate one particular system is not. Both the implementation and DevOps training need to be consistent; delivered with each new feature or technology introduction. Training your teams to handle the DevOps transformation is perhaps the best investment you can make towards reaching business goals as well as improving the people you have in your company.