Become a decision maker with DevOps

Depending where you work, it can be hard to believe that less than twenty years ago, most software development organisations worked with a structured hierarchy of decision makers – typically senior developers, business analysts and technical architects.

Sometimes it was just one or two individuals who had the power over creative decisions. The rest of the team was responsible for taking software through a linear development journey – from requirements analysis through to delivery and integration.

Once the software was ‘ready’, operations and admin staff would receive a complete software application to manage for their users, perhaps with a small amount of user testing beforehand.

The DevOps revolution has all changed for the better and has been embraced by forward–thinking companies within many development ecosystems.

A chance to ‘own’ and shape decision-making

The beauty of DevOps is that everyone – including you! – can own decisions throughout the process. No more siloed teams and top–down management decisions. Opinions on what goes into a development, the tools used in each team, or how everyone works together are taken collaboratively, so everyone’s expertise can be used to make an impact.

When implementing DevOps, a recent survey highlighted that “culture and leadership matter as much as technology ... Adopting DevOps requires a cultural shift” (The State of Salesforce DevOps Survey 2022). This shift means that those who upskill in DevOps practices are opening themselves to a more fulfilling development experience, where their intelligence and creativity are an essential part of the culture.

The pandemic has boosted home-working and autonomy

While this collaborative shift has been happening for a while, the pandemic has supercharged the adoption of online collaboration and production tools, increasing transparency and team participation in core development activities.

This is particularly the case with DevOps, which streamlines the whole development and release cycle process. Adopting DevOps processes speeds–up delivery while empowering teams and individuals to work more efficiently and responsively. For forward–thinking companies this approach is improving team morale, enabling them to respond to change intelligently and provide value fast.

Deciding the right tools for the job (and for you)

Within a DevOps organisation, individuals and teams have more input on the tools they use. For example, developers will probably choose the source code control and build software, testers will choose the testing tool and operations might choose the monitoring tool. Of course, a Product Manager might have the final say, but DevOps environments are fertile ground for collaborative decision making.

Give yourself permission to succeed

Companies like Spotify and Google started to work with the fail–to–succeed philosophy a few years ago and it's been taken up throughout the software industry – empowering individuals across development and release cycles to make creative suggestions. If things don’t work out, it’s a learning process – nobody fails, but everyone learns.

DevOps embraces these principles to improve development and release cycles. It’s collaborative creativity at its best – improving processes while also building self–confidence in team members. Becoming a decision maker with DevOps is an opportunity to realise your potential impact in the workplace.

So DevOps is both good for business and good for your own well–being and fulfilment – what a win–win!

Certify in Salesforce DevOps to boost your skills

Ready to certify in Salesforce DevOps skills? Check out DevOps Launchpad for free training courses and certifications in all areas of Salesforce DevOps. Whether you’re new to DevOps skills and practices – or already running a DevOps team, you’ll discover courses, quizzes and much more to add to your resume and share with your peers.