Stop Trying to Define DevOps — It’s the “New IT”
Yes, DevOps can be summed up as the “new IT” for the digital age.
After several years of prominent case studies, books and conferences — and much trial and error — there is still an ongoing debate about the definition of DevOps. Is it a framework, a philosophy, a methodology or a movement?
In an age of fixed bodies of knowledge, DevOps confuses many because it doesn’t fit into the traditional models usually associated with “best practice.” Enterprises and practitioners alike are frustrated by the lack of a standard definition, a single body of knowledge or agreed upon prescriptive guidance. After all, if you cannot define it, how can you adopt it?
In truth, the definition of DevOps has been there all along. DevOps can be summed up as the “new IT” for the digital age.
DevOps is not unique to a team or domain (although many mistakenly think it is the same as CI/CD). It touches on literally every role, process, tool and set of practices across IT’s value stream. DevOps does not pretend to supersede or compete with any of the leading frameworks, such as Agile, Scrum, ITIL, Lean, SAFE, Cobit, CI/CD, IT4IT or SRE. It does not create or sell automation or platforms.
In fact, DevOps harmonizes and accelerates concepts found in a variety of other sources into a Collective Body of Knowledge (CBok). Examples include:
- Value Stream Mapping (Lean)
- Agile Software Development, Agile Service Management
- (Agile Manifesto, ITIL, Scrum, SAFE)
- Continuous Delivery (Continuous Delivery book)
- Dojos (Target)
- Squads ( Spotify, Scrum)
- Error Budgets (SRE)
- DevSecOps (Security)
- Containers and microservices (Automation)
- Service Level Objectives (SRE, ITIL)
DevOps did not invent or conceptualize any of these practices. Much like traditional IT, it is built upon the foundation of faster delivery of quality software to customers that is continuously improved by thought leadership and disruptive innovation from many arenas. It is the pathway to the next stage of IT’s evolution, but not a stand-alone revolution on its own.
Because of this, I believe it is extremely important that practitioners at all levels keep up on the T-shaped upskilling efforts, where the stem represents the individual’s deep competency and the top represents a broad range of other skills. People have and always will be the foundation upon which IT is built, despite the emphasis on digital transformation and automation.
In conclusion, whether you call it “New IT”, “Digital Transformation” or “DevOps,” enterprises and practitioners have to forget about trying to define DevOps, and focus more on how to deliver more value to the customer faster.
That’s the kind of work that is truly transformative.
DevOps Institute is dedicated to advancing the human elements of DevOps success through the SKIL Framework: Skills, Knowledge, Ideas, and Learning. Learn more.
