Review, "Flow Engineering" (IT Revolution, 2024)

(Note: Review copy - book publishes on 14 May 2024)

DevOps requires cultural transformation but simply stating one needs flow, feedback, and improvement to create success is similar to telling a boxer they need to win 12 rounds to win the fight.? The plan is good but the details matter.? The forthcoming book (release: 14 May 2024, IT Revolution) “Flow Engineering: From Value Stream Mapping to Effective Action”, by Steve Pereira and Andrew Davis provides a round-by-round and punch-by-punch analysis to win your DevOps fight.? The book appears in three sections, establishing, mapping, and navigating flow landscapes. The book includes numerous graphics, case studies, and detailed guides to execute every practice referenced, not just boxing but punching, moving, and effectively using ring space. If you have ever struggled executing DevOps, this book is for you, a must-read for new and experienced practitioners.

The first section sets the landscape for later exploration.? The authors identify the basic problems with software before suggesting how to overcome the challenges posed by scaling.? Everyone knows the easy answers but this dives into the different action elements, and why Value Stream mapping with flow proves such an effective tool.? Scaling introduces challenges based on alignment, visibility, and on-ramp specifications.? Alignment appears as making everyone work in the same direction, visibility as who can see the flow, and on-ramp as bringing in new individuals.? Mapping then captures the actions of identifying value, building clarity, and enabling flow through five mapping tools

Those five mapping tools are outcome, current versus future states, dependencies, future value, and an overall flow roadmap. A chapter is dedicated to each map, explaining why and how to achieve goals, a demonstrative case study, and some areas to avoid.? Though all the tools matter, my favorite is the current value stream mapping establishing today's needs.? This time-proven process derives from process engineering and introduces the 5 Rs to recognize value: recent, real, reach, representative, and road-tested.? Multiple value discussions have fallen apart on any of these issues, so using this as a validation test is essential.? Think about people who insist on a future state, or vaporware, or pick a solution for which no one is responsible.? Clarifying each of these early accelerates flow. ? At the end of the section, the flow roadmap describes connecting the various processes to make it all work.

The final section describes how to move from an individual who uses flow tools, to a flow engineer that manages and shapes the overall flow. ? One of the best parts was describing the connection between leadership as influence and cybernetics as feedback loops.? The proper exercise of flow engineering then uses influence to create the appropriate feedback loops to maintain flow.? Again, a simple proposition, but like winning a fight, the details here are essential.? This flows into managing constraints, understanding governing constraints, what one can not do, and enabling constraints, what one must do.? This can be divided into governing by compliance needs and enabling by programming standards.? Five identified value traps are worth mentioning but read the full section.? Those traps are neglecting the narrative, misaligning incentives, not fully mapping streams, craving unnecessary precision, and conflicting with existing models.? If you have worked in software, for any period, you have hit these and will appreciate the emphasis.??

If I had an objection, and it is a minor one, there is so much good information that it often becomes difficult to align.? The processes are all important but adding a condensed process for smaller teams could be valuable.? I’m reminded of a time at a past job where every division wanted to design their specific process but only two experts were in the building.? After the third call, the experts stated the need to consolidate decisions in one meeting rather than separating.? Some of the flow mapping process seems the same.? While acknowledging the distinct process, a shortened version to start and then continuously improve seems like it would be valuable.

Overall, “Flow Engineering: From Value Stream Mapping to Effective Action”, is a top-notch book and belongs on every DevOps expert’s desk.? The book lays the groundwork, demonstrates the skills needed, and then expands to a higher level when one can manage those processes.? Like our fictional boxer, it is not enough to know one needs to win, moving, punching, and cardio are all important elements to train individually.? Each step is demonstrated, integrated into a checklist, tied into other skills, and demonstrated with case studies and graphics.? If you are working in DevOps, you need to read this book.

Dr. Mark Peters is a Value Stream Director for Engineering Operations(BrainGu), responsible for Day 2 support and end-to-end integration. He served 22 years as a US Air Force Intelligence officer on everything from fighters and drones to satellites.? A DevOps junkie and cybersecurity expert, he holds multiple certifications, a Ph.D. in Information Technology (Capella), and a Strategic Security Doctorate (Henley-Putnam). He authored "Cashing in on Cyberpower" analyzing a decade of cyber-attacks and has forthcoming books on "Confident DevOps (Kogan Page, Jul-2024) and Platform Engineering (Packt, Sep-2024). ? A frequent reviewer for industry-leading books, he has written 100+ reviews and articles.