In plain technical terms, DevOps is Development (Dev) and Operations (Ops) mushed together into a new team. However, the main goal of this amalgamation is to speed up development and improve the testing and maintenance of software.
As a result, software companies would be reducing the production time and the number of unchecked bugs that make it to the market.
But how do you do this by using DevOps?
By disrupting the standard development system (a project goes back and forth between development and operations) and bringing the two teams together, you create stronger bonds between employees. Plus, this move will help you and the team identify inefficient processes and bottlenecks.
DevOps is also about cultural and organizational change which is why most companies outsource this task to a DevOps consulting business like RTS Labs.
The duration of the implementation is highly dependent on your processes, employees, and your overall position towards change, but it will still require time and resources.
So, if you want to know if DevOps implementation is the right step for your business, here are some of the benefits your organization will enjoy afterward:
#1: Technical Benefits
The old software development model had your development and operations teams siloed. While this may have been an efficient model in the past, nowadays everything happens incredibly fast. This means you can’t afford to restart the development process just because the code needed a few quick fixes.
When developers and operations staff work together, communication is free-flowing allowing employees to address problems the moment they identify them. This way, production, testing, and maintenance go hand in hand.
#2: Cultural Benefits
Without DevOps, you have two crucially important teams working in conflict with each other. This happens because their goals are different and often contradictory. As a result, whenever a release is getting close, the tension gets almost palpable in companies that don’t have DevOps.
This type of work environment is not beneficial for the employees (their mental health is at risk) or for the company (longer development processes imply higher costs).
With DevOps, the two teams work together towards one common goal – the finished product. In fact, you only have one team of people with different backgrounds and expertise sharing insight and providing useful advice where needed. The atmosphere changes into one of collaboration and productivity.
Plus, one of the benefits of DevOps is it shifts the focus from the product to the customer. This makes it easier to understand the features of the new product and allows employees to be more engaged in the production process.
#3: Business Benefits
Happier employees and more efficient production processes bring huge benefits for the business. Here are only some of the most visible ones:
- Shorter delivery times
- Fewer bugs after release
- Lower costs & fewer resources
- Improved communication and collaboration
- Increased productivity
#4: Focus on Innovation
When brilliant minds work together, innovation starts to blossom. DevOps brings together all the brilliant minds in your organization who are involved in the software production process. Therefore, with less time spent on maintenance and solving problems, you create room for innovative ideas.
However, before you get to this stage, your organization needs to undergo a deep cultural change. This is not an easy thing to do since most of your employees will have to unlearn years of processes and behaviors. Still, it’s not an impossible task.
#5: Automation
DevOps is all about building a strong community that is focused on collaboration between people with different views of the software development process. On the other hand, it’s also about implementing automated testing processes that can easily identify flaws in the code. By doing so, you set aside the repetitive and creativity-killing tasks and allow employees to use their creativity for greater purposes.
Wrap Up
At the end of the day, DevOps implementation is a process that all software companies will have to go through if they want to stay competitive. Luckily, this is also one of the processes you can easily outsource to make sure everything goes right on the first try.
This frees your team time and mental focus so they can put their efforts into creating growth and productivity.
In summary, DevOps brings fundamental organizational change that is mandatory in today’s fast-paced environment. And, while it is a complex process, it does come with a plethora of benefits for everyone involved.