how devops is transforming it, and what it can do for academia
TRANSCRIPT
How DevOps is Transforming IT, and What it Can Do for AcademiaNicole Forsgren, PhD Director, Organizational Performance and Analytics, ChefResearch Affiliate, Clemson University
@nicolefv
Outline
Listening to industry: the good and the bad
The promise of DevOps● What it is -- and isn’t● What it is doing for the industry● What we’ve found● What it can do for academia
@nicolefv
Listening to industry
Whenever I have industry peers come to me, I warn them:
Faculty own curriculum! If we listen too closely, our students will end up learning COBOL!
● We know what is best for them● We will focus on fundamentals
Industry laughs at the COBOL example…
@nicolefv
Listening to industry
So we’re back to the beginning!
Faculty own curriculum! If we listen too closely, our students will end up learning COBOL!
● We know what is best for them● We will focus on fundamentals
… But which fundamentals?
@nicolefv
Listening to industry
Which Fundamentals… ?
What we learned?
HBR? That will point you to Agile.● We KNOW they’re overly conservative
DICE salary survey? That points to technologies, and runs the risk of COBOL
@nicolefv
The promise of DevOps
What is DevOps?
A cultural and professional movement, focused on how we build and operate high velocity organizations, born from the experiences of its practitioners. -- Adam Jacob
@nicolefv
The promise of DevOps
What is DevOps?
A cultural and professional movement, focused on how we build and operate high velocity organizations, born from the experiences of its practitioners. -- Adam Jacob
● People -- and not just technical people● Mindset
@nicolefv
The promise of DevOps
What is DevOps?
A cultural and professional movement, focused on how we build and operate high velocity organizations, born from the experiences of its practitioners. -- Adam Jacob
● Technology● Process and management● Culture
@nicolefv
The promise of DevOps
What is DevOps?
A cultural and professional movement, focused on how we build and operate high velocity organizations, born from the experiences of its practitioners. -- Adam Jacob
● Lived experience● Different in every team/org
@nicolefv
The promise of DevOps
What is DevOps NOT?
● Agile (“capital A Agile”)● Technology (though tech is very important)● Prescriptive processes● One size fits all● EASY
But it most definitely is WORTH IT
@nicolefv
What is DevOps doing for industry?
IT Performance:
● Throughput/ Speed○ lead time for changes○ release frequency
● Reliability/ Stability○ time to restore service○ change fail rate
@nicolefv
What is DevOps doing for industry?
Firms with high-performing IT organizations were twice as likely to exceed their profitability, market share and productivity goals.
http://bit.ly/2014-devops-report/
http://bit.ly/2015-devops-report/
@nicolefv
High performing IT organizations
More agile What does this mean for:
New content deliveryValue/savings around A/B testingValue around speed to marketCompliance/regulatorySecurity
@nicolefv
High performing IT organizations
More reliable What does this mean for:
Value/savings around reliabilityValue/savings around uptimeComplianceSecurityReputation around uptime, compliance, and security
@nicolefv
Evaluating well-designed and executed experiments that were designed to improve a key metric, only about 1/3 were successful at improving the key metric!
@nicolefv
DevOps promises – and deliversMore throughput
More stability
In tandem. Without the tradeoffs that ITIL calls for.
@nicolefv
Intuit
“By installing a rampant innovation culture, we performed 165 experiments in the peak three months of tax season.
Our business result? Conversion rate of the website is up 50%. Employee result? Everyone loves it, because their new ideas can make it to market. ”
- Scott Cook, Intuit founder
@nicolefv
Amazon
“I think building this culture is the key to innovation. Creativity must flow from everywhere. Whether you are a summer intern or the CTO, any good idea must be able to seek an objective test, preferably a test that exposes the idea to real customers. Everyone must be able to experiment, learn, and iterate.”
- Greg Linden
@nicolefv
What is DevOps doing for industry?
DevOps is transforming technology. Imagine the impact on Minnesota’s economy:
● Major employers: United Healthcare, Robert Half, Wells Fargo, Accenture, TEKSystems, US Bank…
○ Healthcare and Finance are areas embracing DevOps
● InfoSec is an emerging field-- and becoming a major player in DevOps
● DevOps skills command top incomes (source: DICE.com)
Source for MN employment info: www.realtimetalentmn.org, IT 2015 Report
@nicolefv
What can DevOps do for us?Let’s take some cues from the movement itself:
● It’s not just technology○ Updating our LMS won’t solve it.
● It’s not just process○ Making all of our lectures a flipped classroom won’t
solve it. ● Culture is really important. Foundationally important.
○ Open communication - across silos - is important● Embrace the blameless post-mortem
○ Default to a position of trust
@nicolefv
What can DevOps do for us?
Curriculum development is HARD and takes a lot of time.
● Sharing is a key aspect of this -- use your academic networks and your industry contacts. They are willing and eager to help.
● Embrace the MVP (minimum viable product) and iterate.● Every team or organization’s DevOps will look different
-- so will yours.
@nicolefv
We’ve talked about
Listening to industry: the good and the bad
The promise of DevOps● What it is -- and isn’t● What it is doing for the industry● What we’ve found● What it can do for academia
It’s an exciting time!