Rethinking Software Development Culture with Agile and DevOps

DevOps techniques and Agile methodologies have been crowned as the best methods to complete IT projects in an efficient manner, and are being preferred over the more tradition linear 'waterfall' model of development. On the other hand, establishing new working methods requires a significant cultural shift, so how can IT leaders adopt agility as an organizational mindset? IT leaders explain how they are turning the adoption of Agile and DevOps into a competitive advantage.

1. Finding Projects with a Flexible Approach

Organizations are increasingly making heavy use of the Agile and DevOps methodologies. Additionally, major companies have gone from zero to a hundred miles an hour on DevOps in the past 18 months. Agile development can perform seamlessly within a fast-changing cadence of any business but most companies don't use Agile for every development project. And while waterfall techniques are still used in some instances, the key is to not be dogmatic about choices.

2. Sharpening Your Leadership Technique

DevOps techniques are crucial for digital leaders to enable change. As Agile undertakes a digital transformation involving a shift to the cloud for a range of business applications, it represents a key area of investment for the retailer.

Embracing agility, however, can be a challenge. DevOps is a "niche skill" and there is limited capability in the labor market. When new employees are identified to work as part of the IT team, they must also work closely with a partner company’s digital and marketing functions. A move toward agility requires joined-up thinking.

3. Empowering People with Work Boundaries 

While freedom might be the aim for using Agile methodology, it has become a challenge to convince employees to undertake greater responsibility for their work as people believe blocks exist, even though they don't. Several leaders have worked hard to demonstrate the benefits of Agile methodologies in their own IT department and across the wider business.

4. Creating Flexibility within Projects

Local governments are running partnerships with local authorities with the aim to push digital transformation across the country. The digital-first approach aims at providing councils with a technology platform to deliver better services—and Agile developments are to play a critical role in this strategy.

This work is not about the traditional method of going out with a long functional specification list. It involves recognizing the outcomes to be achieved and going back to the IT industry to hear their way of meeting those objectives. Every organization's councils need to work with these providers in an agile way.