DevOps Kaizen: Practical Steps to Start & Sustain an Organization’s Transformation © DTO Solutions, Inc. Damon Edwards @damonedwards
Apr 16, 2017
DevOps Kaizen: Practical Steps to Start & Sustain an Organization’s Transformation
© DTO Solutions, Inc.
Damon Edwards@damonedwards
DevOps Consulting
Operational Improvement
Tools
High Performin
g Companie
sPractices & Behaviors
Gene Kim
… but WHY are they different?
The ability to improve.
The unique trait of high-performing companies is that they are good at learning fast.
Improvement already has a well known recipe:Plan - Do - Study - Act (PDSA)
Other variants:PDCAOODA
W. Edwards Deming - 1950
© The Deming Institute
1. The work isn’t visible
2. People are working out of context
3. Inertia is pulling your org out of alignment
Why are so many organizations unable to improve?
(Silo Effects)
Org Charts
ReferenceArchitecture
Strategy&
Budget
Top Secret
Strategy&
Budget
Top Secret
Documented Processes Project Plans
Traditional “Visibility” For Technology Managers
Release Trains
Meetings Meetings
Meetings
Meetings
Meetings
MeetingsMeetingsMeetings
Meetings Meetings
Meetings
Meetings
Meetings
MeetingsMeetingsMeetings
The Illusion of Control
ComplexSystem
ComplexSystem
interacting with
No wonder…
1. The work isn’t
visible
2. People are working
out of context
3. Inertia is pulling
your org out of
alignment
It’s a complex system
The only way to fix a sufficiently complex system is to create the conditions for the system to fix itself.
Too costly… outsource
more!
Finance
More discipline… tighter process
and more approvals!
Change Management
We need results… re-org
until we do!
ExecutiveCommittee
Need better tools… new automation
and a new network!
Engineers
“I know the answer!…”
The “Big Bang” Transformation Dream
Start
Finish
The “Big Bang” Transformation Reality
Start
Finish
Fear
Panic
Abort
Maybe
People revert to legacy behaviors
More discipline… tighter process
and more approvals
Need Results… Re-Org!
Need better tools… cool automation
and a new network!!
Too costly… outsource
more!
Finance
Change Management
ExecutiveCommittee
Engineers
How to teach an organization to fix itself:“Little J’s” instead of “Big J”
Start
Finish
Start
Finish
“Big Bang” Continuous Improvement
Fear
PanicAbort
Maybe
Turn Continuous Improvement into an enterprise program
•Keep improvement efforts aligned•Scale quickly•Span multiple organizational boundaries•Work with substantial numbers of legacy technologies•Develop your existing staff in mass•Be self-funding after initial seed investment
You are going to have to…
1. The work isn’t visible
2. People are working out of context
3. Inertia is pulling your org out of alignment
Remember what you are up against….
“DevOps Kaizen”• Kaizen: Japanese word for improvement• Modern business context:• Continuous improvement• Systematic, scientific-method approach • Total engagement of the workforce• Valuing small changes as much as large
changes (outcome is what matters)• DevOps context: • Continuously improve the flow of work through
the full value stream in order to improve customer outcomes
Proven Lean Techniques +
DevOps Context
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” -Sir Isaac Newton
“DevOps Kaizen”
Elements of a DevOps Kaizen Program
Elements of a DevOps Kaizen Program
Organization-wide focus on service delivery metrics
• Lead Time (Duration and Predictability)• MTTD (Mean Time To Detect)• MTTR (Mean Time to Repair, Mean Time to Fix)• Quality at the Source (Scrap/Rework)
Elements of a DevOps Kaizen Program
This is where the work becomes
visible!
Retrospectives are a per value stream tool
Value Stream
A
Value Stream
B
Value Stream
C
Key: “horizontal thinking”
Map end-to-end process1
Include key process metrics:
Lead TimeProcessing TimeScrap RateHead Count
DevOps Kaizen: Retrospective Technique
Key: graphical facilitation above all
else!Note: “go to the gemba” requires making it visible
together
Inspiration: value stream mapping
Identify wastes, inefficiencies, bottlenecks
PD - Partially Done TS - Task SwitchingW - WaitingM - Motion / Manual
D - DefectsEP - Extra ProcessEF - Extra FeaturesHB - Heroics
Structured approach building on DevOps adaptation of “7 deadly wastes” from Lean / Agile:
2
DevOps Kaizen: Retrospective Technique
Key: focus on flow of value…
not gripes
Inspiration: 7 Wastes of Software Development
DevOps Kaizen: Retrospective TechniqueIdentify countermeasures
Countermeasures must be actionable, backlog ready. Focus on short-term “baby steps”. Note broader, strategic recommendations.
3
Key: “small j’s, not big j’s”
DevOps Kaizen: Retrospective TechniqueCreate Improvement Storyboards (Kata Style) 4
Key: actionable short-term “baby steps”… “what are we going to do next?”
DevOps Kaizen: Retrospective Technique
+ Work in small batches+ Early Ops Involvement+ Standardized Catalog (with design standards built-in)+ Plan and Design by Those Who Will Do
Key: “What can we do next?” NOT “what is nirvana?”
+Dev provide service verification tests+Ops provide environment verification
tests (used by Dev and QA)+Self-service test data setup (including
mainframe)
Improvement StoryboardsInspiration: A3 management processTemplate Example
Using Storyboards: Part Sales, Part Coaching
Coaching (Not S
olutions)
Facts and Next Steps
Learner
Coach / Leader
What is the target condition?What is the actual condition now?What obstacles do you think are stopping you from reaching target condition?What is your next step?When will we know what was learned from the next step?
AsksQuestions
Maintain Storyboard
Answer / Explain
Inspiration: Toyota Kata
Repeatable and Scalable Coaching Pattern
Goals
Results
Manages Value Stream(VP)
Manages Value Stream Loops(Director, Managers)
Implements Improvements(All)
Sets Business Goal(CXO)
Goals
Results
Goals
Results
Focused on...
This is how the org learns fast!
Elements of a DevOps Kaizen Program
1. The will to make change happen2. The resources to make change
happen3. Follow-through / clear obstacles
Kaizen Program Oversight
This (and only this) is what the Kaizen Program Oversight Group does!
1. The will to make change happen2. The resources to make change
happen3. Follow-through / clear obstacles
Kaizen Program Oversight
Inspire Executives with:
Elements of a DevOps Kaizen Program
DevOps Kaizen Program is an overlay for any delivery methodology
DevOps Kaizen: Let’s Recap!
Make the work visible Focus on Continuous Improvement
Establish program elements Build into your operating model