Maybe you’ve heard the term “DevOps” thrown around before, but aren’t sure what it means. You think to yourself, it sure sounds like someone just combined development and operations to create a fancy new term, but it can’t be that simple.
You're right. DevOps is literally the unification of development (Dev) and operations (Ops) teams to plan, create, deliver, and maintain software in a collaborative environment.
And you are right again. It’s not that simple.
DevOps is more than two previously siloed departments working together. It’s a methodology built on iterative improvement, automation, and shared responsibility.
It’s also a culture-shift. It takes time to master and requires every participant to be all in.
The primary goal of DevOps is to deliver continuous value to customers. Every aspect of the process ties back in to that core purpose.
Not every IT company practices DevOps. There are several other development methodologies out there. And not every IT company practicing DevOps does it well. It’s important to find a company experienced in the methodology that lives and breathes the DevOps culture.
Here are 10 reasons why should you work with a company that practices DevOps:
The minimum viable product (MVP) approach means that your product goes live with enough features to satisfy customers, and allows the responses of early customers to refine the software further for better results. The continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) approach allows teams to release updates faster as well. According to GitLab’s 2021 Global DevSecOps Survey, 60% of developers report that they are releasing code 2x faster than ever before thanks to DevOps.
Teams from different departments spend time brainstorming together as they collaborate throughout the development process. Developers can test the feasibility of ideas with minimal disruption due to iterative releases, leading to a culture of improvement and advancement.
Repetitive tasks, like testing code, are automated to reduce manual work and make code less prone to errors. By automating as much as possible, developers have the capacity to innovate, problem solve, perfect their work, and release updates sooner.
As security becomes an increasingly more important component of DevOps, teams are running more security scans than ever before. In fact, DevSecOps is rising as an up-and-coming approach that automates the integration of security throughout the software development process. This allows the team to identify and address security risks before they become issues.
With DevOps, testing and monitoring is done continuously throughout the development process, instead of at the end. Because code is released frequently, issues are quicker to spot and code rollbacks are easier to manage. Operations and development work hand-in-hand to ensure a successful deployment.
DevOps has a reputation for maximizing profitability. Economies of scale are built into testing and production, making updates quick and affordable. Continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) practices help developers identify bugs quickly and reduce costly system downtime.
DevOps fosters transparency and communication between all parties, including the DevOps team and stakeholders. Customers are involved every step of the way and participate in feedback-loops to ensure everybody is on the same page. Other factors influencing customer satisfaction include timely delivery, quality coding, and lower costs.
With the overarching goal of continuously delivering value to customers, DevOps teams are constantly assessing and re-architecting the product's value stream to ensure that every action in the process aligns with the goal.
At the heart of DevOps is a culture shift in the way that software is engineered. In the DevOps culture, everyone on the team is responsible for the success of the product. Developers and operations have a mutual understanding of each other’s roles and are focused on team performance, not individual goals.
No longer is there disconnect between workers indifferent departments. Constant communication between development and operations leads to new ideas, real-time feedback, and quicker changes.
The benefits of working with a company that uses the DevOps approach to software development are endless. Squarei Technologies has spent the last decade mastering the art of DevOps, and it shows. Call us today at (970) 377-0077 or email hello@squarei.com to learn how we can use DevOps to bring your vision to life. Read more about DevOps here.
