The “State of Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery Report” from the CD Foundation, shows DevOps adoption remains strong but low performers are on the rise.
The landscape of software development has been revolutionized by continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) processes, integral components of the DevOps movement. These processes streamline software delivery, fostering innovation and reducing risk. However, a concerning trend jumped out at me in the "State of Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery Report." The report flagged an increasing segment of low performers, despite the availability of advanced DevOps tools and automated CI/CD processes. This signals a crucial - and alarming - disconnect. I will delve into the dynamics of this trend, underscoring the urgency for organizations to address and rectify this performance gap.
The report, published by the CD Foundation, on the state of CI/CD is based on extensive data from a SlashData survey of 10,000 developers, conducted globally. The research results reveal that 83% of developers are engaged in DevOps-related activities. This is good news, as widespread adoption underscores a continuing commitment to DevOps principles and CI/CD automation. However, a slight decrease in engagement, particularly among new developers, suggests a gap in learning and applying DevOps principles. Organizations must intensify efforts to educate and integrate all developers into the DevOps fold, ensuring the organization harnesses the full potential of DevOps. DevOps is one of the areas of software development where developers with the necessary skills are in short supply. Evangelizing DevOps to new developers can help close the gap between supply and demand. Not insignificant, work within DevOps also develops strong skills - and thus productive careers - for new developers.
The Performance Dilemma
While DevOps adoption is high, the report identifies a concerning trend: a stable or decreasing number of top performers in software delivery metrics over recent years. Surprisingly, the increase in DevOps practice adoption has not correspondingly improved performance metrics like lead time for changes, deployment frequency, and service restoration times. This stagnation signals a deeper issue: the complexity of projects might be diluting the efficiency gains from DevOps practices.
The report shows a correlation between the breadth of DevOps technology usage and improved developer performance. Notably, developers utilizing a wider range of technologies tend to perform better. However, the trend of consolidating developer tool usage could be contributing to the growing number of low performers. The findings indicate a critical need for a balanced approach to tool adoption, ensuring that developers are equipped with the right technologies to enhance their performance rather than being overwhelmed by too many tools or underserved by too few.
A Call to Arms: Addressing Low Performance
The increasing number of low performers in the DevOps arena is a wake-up call for organizations to reevaluate their approach to CI/CD and DevOps practices. Organizations must adopt a strategic approach to DevOps, ensuring that all developers, especially the less experienced, are fully integrated and educated in its practices. This involves not only adopting the right mix of technologies but also fostering an environment where continuous learning and improvement are prioritized.
Here are several key initiatives organizations can adopt to increase the performance of their DevOps teams:
Education and Training: Implement comprehensive education programs to enhance developers’ understanding and execution of DevOps practices, especially targeting new developers and low-performing teams.
Optimal Tool Utilization: Ensure developers are not overwhelmed by too many tools but have access to the essential technologies that enhance productivity and performance.
Performance Monitoring: Regularly assess and analyze performance metrics - such as the DORA metrics, to identify areas of improvement and success, adjusting strategies and processes accordingly.
Cultural Shift: Foster a culture that values continuous improvement, learning, and collaboration within DevOps practices. There should be a blameless culture, where individuals and teams are encouraged to fail fast and work together toward shared goals for software delivery.
With the advanced CI/CD processes and developer tools available today, there should be no excuse for poor performance. The right strategies, tools, and educational efforts can transform development teams, enabling low performers to evolve, over time, into top performers. This shift not only enhances individual careers but drives organizational success. In the realm of modern software development, being a low performer in DevOps is indeed inexcusable.
There are several other interesting takeaways from the CD Foundation’s report. However, the increase in low-performing organizations was the one that jumped out at me.
Additional resources: