DevOps began popping up here and there around a decade ago, but in the 2020s, it has been increasingly included in company strategies as well. You could say DevOps has become the Agile of our time: an omnipresent method for achieving business goals by developing digital services.

DevOps refers to the model of digital service development, in which development, integration, testing, and maintenance have been automated as far as possible. DevOps holds great potential, as it promises faster ways of achieving your business goals. The heart of this operations model lies in paying attention to the entire lifespan of the software, which means taking care of not only development but also maintenance and information security. Short cycles ensure quick feedback and, therefore, a customer-centric approach.

Who takes part in creating a DevOps culture?

Talks about DevOps easily focus on technology. However, if you plan to make use of all the benefits DevOps can bring to the table, what you require above all is a cultural change. Collaboration across the entire organization and digital service value chain is vital.

Enabling the change to a DevOps-based operations model requires the engagement of various groups within the organization.

• Senior management. Since DevOps changes your organization's cooperation practices, gaining senior management's support is crucial.
• Multicompetent expert teams. DevOps brings together new developers, administrators, information security experts, business representatives, technical architects, and customers.
• Ecosystem actors. Few companies can operate in isolation, and new business models require cooperation between several actors. This needs to be taken into account when designing the life cycle of digital services.

How to get started with DevOps?

Like any change that has a profound impact on the operations model, switching to DevOps requires leadership. The most important thing is to have the support of the management and enthusiastic agents, who will ensure that the changes are implemented throughout the organization.

If you’re wondering about the different ways in which DevOps could benefit your team, you can read more about it on Vincit’s Trend Analysis. If you need someone to talk to about modern maintenance services or the cultural change required by DevOps, you can book an appointment with me directly via my calendar.

Henna Niiranen, Chief Business Officer at Vincit’s DevOps & Platforms, is a passionate bridge builder and demolisher of silos. You can also connect with Henna on LinkedIn.