How can you build a successful IT automation business case for DevOps?

DevOps is about people, processes and tools. First when you have mastered the people part, then you can take care of the process and tools part.

To counter this, we've initiated a transformative program called 'DevOps Champions.' This approach invites individuals from different teams to participate in immersive workshops, granting them visibility and insights into DevOps processes and tools. As a result, participants gain a multifaceted skill set, enhancing their efficiency across various aspects such as troubleshooting, infrastructure orchestration, and successfully ushering services into production environments.

I agree, but there are other non technical details in DevOps that not many people mention, that is the product that DevOps is trying to deliver. You can have a badass solution but if it doesn’t fulfill the needs of the product you’re delivering it the problems will always fall into the DevOps shelf. So, in summary, in order to better identify the problem, having a better knowledge of what you’re delivering in terms of product, will help the issue the be identified faster.

I agree with the statement, but DevOps is a cultural approach that helps to bridge the gap between development and operations. Having a problem statement is a good start but this is generally not the case when Projects are executed the need for DevOps arises depending on the best approach for agility or automation to reduce human errors and to add value where needed.

1- You need to listen to the requirements or the problems from any available sources. 2- Build your strategy and process for ( the number 1 ) in away that makes you able to redesign the process in case of any miss organized steps or slow parts in the process then you can update frequently in your process in flexible and scalable ways to meet the new requirements or to improve the process efficiency. 3- Implementing the processes and strategies using your technical skills and the tools. 4- Feedbacks, it really important to keep your eyes on what could result from your implementation phase, so that this stage is highly recommended to keep your cycle interactive with new features, requirements, issues and other valuable feedbacks.

When defining solution, a clear SMART(Specific,Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time Bounded) goal of the solution is essential. There could be multiple goals however each should ranked and prioritized to have an impact. It is easier to get lost in the journey of adopting DevOps practices and forget why teams started it in first place.

I think the initial requirement for any possible solution should come from business first as that helps any team to come with solutions or processes around them.

Building a successful IT automation business case need a clear & appropriate argument that demonstrates the value & benefit of IT automation in the context of Devops practices. Below key points need to be taken into consideration for building such business case : 1. Understand the audience 2. Define objectives 3. Identify hurdles 4. Establish targets and Metrics 5. Calculate ROI 6. Showcase Time to Market Benefits 7. Consistency and Quality 8. Scalability and Resiliency 9. Compliance & Security 10. Use cases by examples 11. Outline automation strategy 12. Risk Assessment 13. Industry Trends 14. Financial model 15. Executive Summary 16. Visual Aids 17. Buy-in and Feedback 18. Case presentation 19. Follow up 20. Monitor and Measure

Once you identify issues, challenges and problems, you need to find a suitable solution for them. Human-related problems can't be solved with automation or any software, because it's highlighting that there is a problem in the process. Try to understand what can be done and how can you solve it to have a win-win situation. IT-related should not be solved via automation entirely but should be considered from the process perspective, this will allow you to understand the gaps and find the perfect solution for it. Just don't forget that all solutions should be measured, if you can't measure it means this solution will not help you achieve the goals.

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the imperative for IT organizations to adapt and thrive has never been greater. Our DevOps automation solution represents a strategic leap forward, revolutionizing software delivery. By automating key processes, we unlock unparalleled efficiency gains, slashing time-to-market, reducing errors, and boosting collaboration. This transformation translates to substantial cost savings, unparalleled quality improvements, and a competitive edge that positions our organization as an industry leader in innovation and agility.

This statement might not click with everyone, but hear me out - In IT, automating what's feasible is key, but not every system or task is fit for automation. Recognizing when human judgment is vital—especially in complex or context-driven processes—ensures a balanced approach. Not all functions benefit equally from automation; some require human insight, preserving a blend of efficiency and human expertise for optimal results.

Prior to the implementation of any solution, it is imperative to conduct a comprehensive Proof of Concept (PoC). The results of this PoC should be transparently shared with all stakeholders, and whenever feasible, involve the teams that will be directly affected. Ultimately, once we receive approval from these teams, it becomes essential to formulate a meticulous implementation plan

It is good practice to introduce any new processes and changes gradually. For example, when we added a new security policy management tool (Kyverno) we first enabled it in audit mode, which allowed us to first study its potential impact on our infrastructure.

Creating a compelling DevOps automation business case involves evaluating feasibility, highlighting cost-saving potential, and emphasizing increased efficiency. Showcase how automation streamlines workflows, accelerates releases, and reduces errors, ultimately driving ROI.

A good starting point is a proof of concept, keeping in mind the team's skills and addressing gaps if necessary as you won't be a one-man army. Keep the stakeholder's requirements in mind as well - engage with them as early as possible and ask for continuous feedback for improvement. And with a good risk assessment and cost-beenfit analysis you will get the green light.

One thing I have found helpful is usage metrics collected from solution itself, that gives us realtime info how folks are engaging with the things and where they are sticking the most.

Use simple visuals and live demos to showcase the increased efficiency, success stories and ROI projections - that should get you the buy-in. Make sure to tailor your message to the audience, brainstorm possible concerns in advance and risk mitigation strategies to win the support for a culture of continuous improvement.

Value stream map is handy tool which I have used and it has provided valuable visualization of critical business delivery values which business wants. We can identify the wastes and improve on things which we need.

I will not tire of repeating - Communication is the KEY! Before implementing something, before changing the process you need to communicate about the changes with all your teams and team members. While communicating new changes don't forget to mention: - what you are trying to achieve? - why you are changing something? - what is the reason for the upcoming changes? - what is the benefit for the business? - what is the benefit for the team and/or team members? Otherwise, they will not support you in these changes and/or new processes.

Highlighting increased efficiency, reduced errors, faster deployments, and cost savings. Showcase real-world examples and metrics to demonstrate how automation can drive tangible benefits for your organization.

As the most important aspect of the role is to deal with humans and their set way of doing things, it's imperative that we provide tangible benefits for them to adopt certain practices. I've come to realise that it's important not to over engineer solutions and use the 'Keep It Simple Stupid' approach when architecting solutions.

A true leader leads to the benefit of others, not themselves. To foster the collaborative culture you need to learn in handling the people aspect first - without the soft skills, it's just a title. Nurture the team to learn, find out what their skills, talents and motivations are, and then guide them into applying them in a way where everyone wins.

Never, ever forget that the thing you will spend the most of your time trying to change is the attitudes and minds of the *people* involved. Unless you control the whole process end to end (unlikely), you are solving a people problem first. Polish those skills first!

I want to underline the importance of meaningful metrics here, and how they are presented. Experts on the front line may sometimes slip on demonstating how crucial their implementations are, explained a way that is consumable by the other party. To this person the value may be self evident. To another party it may not be, for any number of reasons. I often explain the value of always making your findings consumable by others. Sure, it's quite some work, a context switch, etc. Demonstrate the value of your work over and over, in as consumable a way as you can. The people looking at your achievements are judging, but also helping. They are not you, yet with your help they can reach the same conclusion you did, based on your data.

Focus on quantifiable benefits like reduced deployment times, increased release frequency, and lowered error rates. Highlight cost savings, improved collaboration, and enhanced customer satisfaction. Showcase successful DevOps implementations in similar industries.