How to get your DevOps transformation right with VSM and OKRs

In recent years, DevOps transformation became the subject of heated debate in the IT world. Many companies have attempted to undergo it but with various successes. From our experience, getting DevOps transformation right often comes down to the synergy of three concepts: DevOps, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). What are they, and how do they overlap in the process? This is what we’ll cover in this article.

1. Understanding DevOps

Let’s start with the basics. What is DevOps and why has it become such a widely discussed topic?

DevOps, at its core, is a philosophy. It’s a paradigm shift that blends the traditionally siloed worlds of development and operations. It’s not just a new tech trend but a cultural transformation that breaks down barriers, facilitating greater collaboration, faster delivery times, and improved product quality. Imagine an orchestra, with each instrument playing in harmony, conducted by the maestro. That’s DevOps at play in the IT ecosystem.

The consequences of not embracing DevOps can be dire. In an era where agility and speed define success, failing to streamline operations can leave organizations behind. Think about how industry leaders like Netflix deploy updates thousands of times per day, or Amazon pushing code changes every second. It’s DevOps that empowers them to achieve such feats, driving their ability to innovate continuously and consistently.

2. How Do I Know That I’ve Implemented DevOps Properly?

Perhaps you’ve already begun your DevOps journey, and are now wondering, “Have I done it right?”. This is a common question, and rightly so, because implementing DevOps is not merely about introducing new tools or methodologies. It’s a transformative shift that involves people, processes, and technology. To assess if your DevOps implementation is on the right track, here are nine key questions you should be asking:

1. Have the communication and collaboration between my development and operations teams improved? DevOps is about breaking down silos. If there’s still a noticeable divide between these two teams, your DevOps journey may require a closer look.
2. Are we delivering software faster and more reliably? Speed and stability are key DevOps indicators. If your delivery timelines haven’t improved or are inconsistent, it may be time to reassess.
3. Are we experiencing fewer deployment failures? A proper DevOps implementation should lead to fewer deployment issues. If this isn’t the case, you may need to refine your DevOps practices.
4. Are we recovering from failures more quickly? Failures are inevitable, but DevOps emphasizes quick recovery. If you’re still spending extensive time fixing problems, it could indicate a DevOps implementation gap.
5. Are we receiving and responding to user feedback efficiently? Effective DevOps practices foster swift feedback loops. If you’re not actively engaging with user feedback and making necessary adjustments, you might be missing a crucial aspect of DevOps.
6. Are our development and delivery processes well-optimized and transparent? If you cannot visualize your processes or identify bottlenecks and waste, you may have to go back to the drawing board.
7. Have we defined clear, measurable objectives for our DevOps transformation? Without clearly defined objectives and results’ metrics, your DevOps journey might lack direction. It’s essential to set clear goals and key results to measure your progress.
8. Are we consistently meeting our key results? Achieving them regularly indicates that your DevOps practices are effective. If not, it’s time to analyze the root cause and make necessary adjustments.
9. Is there a culture of continuous learning and improvement in the organization? DevOps is all about learning from failures and constantly striving for improvement. If your organization lacks this mindset, it might be hindering your DevOps success.

These questions are not a comprehensive audit but a good starting point to evaluate your DevOps journey. 

3. Introduction to Value Stream Mapping (VSM) and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)

After understanding the significance of DevOps, let’s delve a little deeper into two key tools that can supercharge your DevOps implementation: Value Stream Mapping (VSM) and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs).

Value Stream Mapping (VSM)

Value Stream Mapping is a method for visualizing a system’s process flow from start to finish, helping to identify opportunities for improvement and waste reduction. Originating from the manufacturing sector as a part of the Lean methodology, it has found widespread use in the IT world and specifically DevOps, given its potential to optimize workflows and improve process efficiency.

VSM involves creating a visual representation (a ‘map’) of your process flow, from the initial concept phase through to the delivery of the end product or service to the customer. Each step is examined to identify potential bottlenecks, areas of waste (like waiting time, overproduction, or unnecessary steps), and opportunities for process improvement.

A typical VSM consists of two parts:

1. Current State Mapping: This captures the present state of your processes, including the time, resources, and information flow involved at each step. It helps identify where the process is falling short, whether due to bottlenecks, redundancies, or waste.
2. Future State Mapping: Based on insights from the current state, you design a future state map that outlines how your improved process should ideally function. This helps create a clear roadmap for achieving process improvement goals.

By using VSM, you get a bird’s-eye view of your entire process, enabling you to identify improvement areas and enhance efficiency, a critical goal of the DevOps journey.

Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)

If VSM is the map to guide your process improvements, OKRs are the compass that keeps you on track toward your strategic goals. OKRs are a goal-setting framework that encourages the establishment of ambitious objectives and the key results to achieve them. This method helps teams and organizations align their efforts toward common goals and track their progress.

The OKR framework involves:

1. Objectives: These are high-level, qualitative goals that align with your organization’s mission and vision. They should be ambitious yet achievable, serving as the ‘North Star’ guiding all your efforts. An example of an Objective might be ‘Improve software delivery speed.’
2. Key Results: For each Objective, you establish two to five Key Results. These are specific, measurable outcomes that indicate progress toward the Objective. For example, a Key Result for the above Objective could be ‘Reduce code deployment time by 30%.’

The beauty of OKRs lies in their simplicity and flexibility. They can be set at the organizational, team, or even individual levels, making them a versatile tool for driving performance and alignment in a DevOps environment.

By integrating OKRs into your DevOps implementation, you ensure that your transformation efforts are not just about adopting new processes or tools but are purposefully aligned with achieving strategic organizational outcomes.

4. The Intersection of DevOps, VSM, and OKRs

Having a deeper understanding of DevOps, VSM, and OKRs allows us to clearly see the interplay among these three. Let’s further explore how the synergy between these concepts can not only strengthen your DevOps transformation but also provide a robust framework for measuring your progress and achieving your strategic goals.

Streamlining DevOps with VSM

Firstly, VSM and DevOps go hand in hand. In the DevOps philosophy, the idea of a shared objective and seamless collaboration is central. VSM facilitates this by providing a unified view of the entire software delivery lifecycle, from the initial idea to the end-user delivery. It allows both the development and operations teams to visualize the whole system and understand its role in the broader context.

With VSM, you can spot bottlenecks and inefficiencies that might be slowing down your delivery or impacting product quality. Once these are identified, you can initiate targeted improvement efforts. This is particularly useful in DevOps, where the goal is to deliver high-quality software at a faster pace continuously. For instance, you might discover that the handoff between development and operations is causing delays. In response, you could implement practices like continuous integration or infrastructure as code to streamline this transition.

Driving DevOps Transformation with OKRs

OKRs, on the other hand, add an extra layer of focus and direction to your DevOps transformation. While VSM provides the ‘how,’ OKRs provide the ‘what’ and ‘why.’ They enable you to set clear, measurable objectives aligned with your overall business strategy and define specific key results to achieve these objectives.

For example, you may set an objective like “Improve software delivery speed.” The key results could be “Reduce code deployment time by 30%” and “Increase frequency of deployments to twice per week.” These OKRs not only guide your DevOps transformation but also provide quantifiable metrics to evaluate your progress.

Moreover, OKRs promote transparency and alignment, which are crucial for fostering the collaborative culture integral to DevOps. Everyone in the organization, from developers and operations to the leadership team, understands the shared objectives and how their work contributes to achieving them.

Leveraging VSM and OKRs to Measure DevOps Success

A critical part of any transformation is the ability to measure success. Here, VSM and OKRs come together to provide a comprehensive framework for tracking your DevOps progress.

VSM, with its focus on process visualization and waste reduction, provides qualitative metrics. It gives insights into how well your processes are streamlined and where improvements are needed. On the other hand, OKRs offer quantitative metrics, enabling you to track progress against specific, measurable outcomes.

Together, they offer a balanced approach to measuring DevOps success. By assessing your progress using both VSM (process efficiency) and OKRs (achievement of key results), you get a holistic view of your DevOps transformation.

In summary, the synergy of DevOps, VSM, and OKRs offers a powerful approach to achieving and measuring your DevOps transformation. DevOps provides the culture and practices, VSM offers the process insights, and OKRs give the strategic direction.     

5. OKRs and VSM in DevOps – The Takeaway

As we wrap up this discussion on leveraging VSM and OKRs in your DevOps transformation, let’s reflect on the key takeaways.

1. The Power of VSM in DevOps: VSM provides a detailed and insightful visualization of your entire software delivery process, enabling you to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and areas of waste. It’s a tool that goes hand-in-hand with DevOps, fostering a shared understanding and collaborative improvement of the processes integral to delivering high-quality software rapidly and reliably.
2. The Strategic Drive of OKRs in DevOps: OKRs offer a simple yet effective framework for setting and achieving your strategic goals during a DevOps transformation. They create a clear direction, foster alignment, and provide a measurable way to track progress toward your DevOps objectives. They give a sense of purpose to your transformation, ensuring it’s not just about adopting new tools or processes, but about achieving outcomes that matter to your business.
3. The Synergy of VSM, OKRs, and DevOps: The true power of VSM and OKRs is realized when they’re used together in the context of DevOps. VSM offers a practical way to optimize your DevOps processes, while OKRs ensure your efforts are strategically aligned. Together, they provide a balanced approach to driving and measuring DevOps success.

Undergoing DevOps implementation is a complex endeavour, but your organization doesn’t have to do it on its own.

At C&F, we’re committed to helping you unlock the full potential of DevOps using VSM and OKRs, guiding you towards a successful and sustainable transformation that enhances your delivery speed, product quality, and overall business performance.

Embrace the future of software development with C&F. Together, let’s make your DevOps transformation a resounding success.