Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
ScienceDirect Procedia Computer Science 61 (2015) 261 – 266
Complex Adaptive Systems, Publication 5 Cihan H. Dagli, Editor in Chief Conference Organized by Missouri University of Science and Technology 2015-San Jose, CA
A Systemic Approach to Re-inforce Development and Operations Functions in Delivering an Organizational Program Syed W Hussaini* Tata Consultancy Services Ltd GS2-49,Deccan park, Madhapur, Hyderabad-500034, INDIA
Abstract Business environment is dynamic and volatile. Changes are due to strategic factors like growth, regulations, mergers & acquisitions, diversification, geo-politics and business innovations etc. Sometimes change or innovation could be technology led also. For any business change or innovation to be deployed in practice, it must be developed (built) and operationalized and run as business as usual (BAU). This paper presents a systemic design based on Systems engineering and cybernetics principles. A systemic approach was adopted to re-inforce and establish connect between development and operations functions in delivering an organizational program of customer contact transformation. This paper also leverages experience of deploying the same to overcome the challenges of lack of collaboration between Development and Operations silos in delivering changes in programs. This systemic model described here was implemented successfully for enhancing synergy of Development and Operations functions of a customer contact program of a major telecommunications services provider in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region operating in more than ten markets. Key stakeholders from DevOps were involved during the surveys conducted and assessment done. The approach involved discovery, diagnosis and design iterations in onsite and offshore model. It also presents a case, which deployed this approach, provides conclusion and future direction. Results of application of above approach to address the problem are also illustrated. The approach helped in reinforcing collaboration between the DevOps resulting in enhanced synergy, productivity and reduced time to market of telecom products and services considerably. 2015 The The Authors. Syed W Hussaini, Published by Elsevier B.V. ©©2015 Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of scientific committee of Missouri University of Science and Technology. Peer-review under responsibility of scientific committee of Missouri University of Science and Technology Keywords: Reinforce; DevOps; Systems Approach; Organizational Program and collaboration
* Corresponding author. Tel.: 0091 9705255801 E-mail address:
[email protected]
1877-0509 © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of scientific committee of Missouri University of Science and Technology doi:10.1016/j.procs.2015.09.209
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1. Background, Introduction and the Model: DevOps is an acronym for Development (Dev) and Operations (Ops) of business or technology systems and applications. There is a gap of collaboration between Dev and Ops. This gap often manifests itself in many avatars such as stiffer competition, de-motivated teams and excessive time overruns of delivering changes. Development team members often have an attitude where change is the thing they have to achieve whereas Operations team members often have an attitude of avoiding change in anticipation of maintaining stability of systems and/or applications. This issue is more complex in case of large organizational programs due to manifold stakeholders involved having conflicting or varied interests. Synergy can be achieved in large and complex organizational programs through the deployment of common strategic success factors across DevOps functions and tracing the same to program results successfully. The model was deployed successfully in enhancing synergy of DevOps functions in case of a large and complex IT program of a large telecommunications company. The model helped in achieving enhanced synergy, productivity and reduced time to market of telecom products and services considerably. DevOps strategic success factors are identified or validated if already provided using Stakeholder analysis. As part of stakeholder analysis, internal and external stakeholders to the program in focus are identified. Each stakeholder’s interests, needs, constraints, alterables and influences are studied.[1] This helps in arriving at or validating strategic success factors. From among the identified factors only the common strategic success factors across Dev and Ops functions form the basis for cascading synergy between the two functions. Each success factor needs to address one or more opportunity for improvement in terms of specific actions or initiatives. Each opportunity for improvement needs to be addressed using a viable solution or enablement which culminates in achieving intended end results. [5] The systemic model leveraged for tracing DevOps key strategic success factors to intended program results is delineated in the figure 1 below. This systemic model works in a circular feedback loop. This model ensures that specific actions or initiatives undertaken are in line with the program’s strategies. The solutions or enablements are also leveraged appropriately in tune with the overall business or IT strategy. Specific Actions
Enablement /Solutions
Strategic Success Factors
Intended Results
Figure 1: The systemic model
Feedback received from the previous stage or iteration is incorporated back into system to ensure continuously improved solution deployment.
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A case of DevOps Synergy:
The strategic success factors can be changing during the lifecycle of the program due to dynamic business environment in which the organizational program is embedded. The factors can be validated using internal and external stakeholders analysis by looking at their needs, constraints and alterables.[1,2,3,4]. This is necessitated to perform analysis since the goals of the organizational business or IT program change during its lifetime due to changes in business strategies. [10] The above systemic model helps practitioners to focus and stick to the current set of strategic success factors till the end results are achieved. Any change in a strategic success factor can be accordingly traced to relevant specific actions through relevant enablement to program’s intended results. 2.1 Challenges: Some of the existing pain points, challenges and business drivers for this customer contact transformation program of the telecommunications services provider in this case as understood are listed below: x Lack of synergy in delivering business or technology change in organizational programs x Lack of synergy between Development and Operations functions x Communication, Cooperation and Collaboration and Cultural gap across Development and Operations functions leading to team conflicts, inefficiencies. x Challenges in looking at Development & Operations through a single lens x Challenges in bringing in synergy in development & operation processes, people, knowledge management, accountability, tools and governance x Lack of uniforms KPIs (Key performance indicators) across Dev and Ops functions x Longer go-to-market cycles for new product launches. It was taking at least ten weeks for a change to be delivered to business. x Lack of synergy to handle large and complex transformational change. The model helped in tracing key strategic objectives of transformation that are common ground for both Development and Operations functions to achieve intended results of program. The systemic model ensures that the intended results of enhanced productivity, performance and synergy as shown in the Figure 2 below were achieved successfully. This helped in arriving at and deploying x A people and stakeholder management strategy and plan x A common metrics dashboard for both DevOps teams for measuring performance excellence. The various measures can be traced back to key strategic objectives of DevOps. x A detailed plan having a nimble Cross functional team (CFT) from Dev and Ops functions for working seamlessly to deliver transformational changes x A uniform set of practices, processes and tools across DevOps functions that result in enhanced synergy and collaboration. x Program Strategies that are effective, traceable and easily deployable 2.2The benefits to the customer: The potential benefits from this project include unified processes/tools/automation across Dev Ops, and improved customer service. ¾ ¾ ¾
Enhancing synergy of Development and Operations (DevOps) leading to efficiencies in the new product releases to market. One common dashboard across DevOps consisting of strategically linked measures to arrive at Program Excellence Index (PEI) for the transformational change being carried out.[4] Highly motivated teams with improved communication and collaboration across DevOps.
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Improved knowledge management across DevOps and systemic program management with frameworks for easy operationalization on the ground. Reduced Time-to-Market - Improved the timeline for launch of new services or products. The cycle time to launch a new telecom product or service reduced by over 30%. The model deployed:
The model helped to Trace the key strategic success factors of transformation across Dev and Ops functions to achieve intended results of business or IT program Focus attention during implementation to the strategic factors which are identified. This is most important since the program strategies change as the business drivers’ change. The customer contact transformation program of the telecom service provider in this case successfully completed proof of solution experience for enhancing the synergy of DevOps using the systemic model as described above. Figure 2 shows a table below giving details of how DevOps strategic success factors were deployed and traced successfully overcoming the challenges of fast changing dynamic business environment. As shown below in figure 2 let us take one common strategic success factor of DevOps and trace it to the end result achieved. Enable and institutionalize technology and/or business knowledge sharing across both Dev and Ops functions of the program [strategic success factor] => Roll out knowledge management tools and structures across both Dev and Ops teams. This bridges the communication gap between Dev and Ops [specific action or initiative] => Enable a deployment tracker for tracing knowledge management initiative to completion and Deploy a systemic program management framework [enablement or solution] => enhanced productivity, enhanced performance and motivated DevOps teams [intended end results]. This completes an iteration of the circular feedback loop. The learnings from this iteration can be incorporated in next iteration. This iteration is shown in the figure 2 below with rows/columns painted in light orange color. The below chart gives a systemic summary of the DevOps challenge described here. However the high level objectives can be easily translated into measurable or actionable metrics for the result oriented tracing and tracking of the performance of the DevOps initiative.
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10.RewardsandRecognition(R&R) 9.Reducetimetomarketby strenghteningthebondbetweenDev 8.Dashboardforstakeholderstosee 7.OptimizeReleaseCycles 6.BridgeCommunicationGapacross 5.DevOpsculture 4.NimbleCFTStructureforDevOps 3.RolloutKnowledgeManagementͲ Tools and Structures 2.EnsuringDevandOpsteamswork towardscommongoals 1.AlignIT(DevandOps)withthegoals oforganizationbydeployingappropriate frameworks
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1.EnableandinstitutionalizeKnowledge Sharing
2.Motivateteambyimplementingand operatinganR&Rmechanism
3.ImplementanE2EDashboardforall stakeholderstoseecurrent
SpecificActions 4.EnhanceDevOpssynergybydefining andimplementinganimbleCFT
5.ImproveProgramManagementacross DevandOpsbydefininganddeploying
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Figure 2. Tracing DevOps strategic success factors to achieve intended end results E2E dashboard – End-to-end dashboard R&R – Rewards and Recognition CFT – Cross functional team IT – Information Technology
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Conclusion:
A systemic model for program management as described above to deploy and trace initiation and execution of an IT program’s strategies helps practicing program managers on the ground in performing their job effectively. Since the program strategies are changing due to dynamic business environment, this approach enables program managers to ensure that the program’s progress is effectively tracked to success. This also helps to control the program’s key levers of transformation by taking actions on time by tracking the strategic success factors to intended results. The approach to tracing a program’s strategic success factors to achieve intended results described above can be applied successfully to transformational change programs in IT environment. 5
Acknowledgements
Author acknowledges and thanks the Corporate Technology Organization (CTO) in TCS for encouraging to share relevant research work in global forums. Author also acknowledges the valuable support extended by our esteemed colleagues in the Business Systems & Cybernetics Center in Tata Consultancy Services Limited. 6 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]
References
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