DevOps and Agile

Recently while interacting with a Client Partner of a leading Software Services Company, I heard the Statement that “ In Order to implement DevOps you need to implement Agile and Automation”.  My mind raced to all the other partially correct statements that I have been hearing/reading about Implementing DevOps such as

• DevOps can be implemented in any Agile project
• Automation is the most important thing in Implementing DevOps.
• Cloud is a must for DevOps.

All the above Statements are partially correct. This Article aims to bust the Myth that “Agile Project is a must for DevOps”.

DevOps is based on the Pull Mechanism of Software delivery and not Push Mechanism. The Business defines the rate of software delivery and not the Development or the Ops Team. Also it is necessary that the Organizations start thinking in terms of Product Concept Vs the Project Concept. PMI defines “Project” as  “A project can be defined as a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service. Projects have a definite beginning and an end - they have a limited duration.” So if a project is a temporary endeavor, how do you ensure long-term thinking?. Also what do you do, once the Applications Support is transitioned to the Managed Services team.

A Product thinking ensure that the thinking is aligned with the Consumers of the product, what features do they demand, which features are out of favor with the Consumers and hence need to be deleted. It also means that as long as there is demand for the product, the product team exists.

Now on the need for “Agile” project for DevOps, it is important to understand the First DevOps Principle of “Systems Thinking” which calls for reducing the batch size of software being delivered which is an effective way to manage risk, quality and increases the speed of delivery. So ANY Software Development Methodology which results in the above can be used for DevOps Implementation and not just “Agile” Projects.  Incremental Software development Model is also being used to implement DevOps.