DevOps is changing the way IT works. Businesses can innovate, develop and deploy faster and more efficiently than ever before. You know it, we know it — but sometimes senior management need to be convinced.
It might sound daunting but, at its core, building a business case for DevOps is simply a set of practices intended to reduce the time between making a change to a system and the change being placed into normal production. All while maintaining a high level of quality.
Although it’s been around for a few years now the term is still little-known outside of technical circles, so the first job of the business case for DevOps is to demystify the concept in order to gain wider support from c-suite management.
Building a business case for DevOps can be an uphill struggle but here’s how to help senior decision-makers like CTOs or CIOs buy in to your vision.
What makes a killer business case for DevOps?
Some of the decision-makers you need to convince won’t have strong technical backgrounds, so you need to find the solid business benefits, demonstrating that DevOps practices can bring value and efficiency to the entire organisation.
This isn’t just about what would make your job easier, or make things easier for your team — It has to go further than that. The business benefits generally split down into three categories: time, cost and resource efficiency. Here are some key points that you can highlight:
Making better use of staff time with a business case for DevOps
Good developers are a rare and expensive resource. DevOps methods like continuous delivery ensure that their time is used efficiently — giving you the best bang for your buck.
By spending less time on rework and unexpected issues, and more time on new work it helps the business to move forward faster. It also helps developers to continually innovate, so you’re less likely to lose your best talent due to stagnation.
Keeping pace with the competition through a business case for DevOps
The thought of being left behind by the competition strikes fear into the heart of leadership teams — and for very good reason. In today’s business world new threats and competitors can come out of nowhere — they’re small and agile, often well funded with a highly dedicated team ready to move quickly.
But DevOps isn’t limited to just start-ups or tech companies. Larger organisations are increasingly adopting DevOps practices and taking advantage of the efficiencies it offers.
Flexible frameworks save on cost with a business case for DevOps
DevOps processes embrace the use of open-source tools. These are generally either free or very low-cost. The use of open-source software keeps the business free of costly contracts with multiple vendors, allowing it to use the technologies that best fit its needs and budget and, crucially, allowing it to change and adapt quickly.
This is a huge benefit during periods of growth or during quieter times when the business needs flexibility in its platform costs. It also allows your developers the freedom to work with a variety of platforms, helping them to sharpen their skills.
Helping your business attract the best talent through a business case for DevOps
DevOps makes it much easier for your business to attract excellent developers. It enhances productivity and increases efficiency, allowing developers to deploy high quality code multiple times per day with little to no risk.
Talented developers are in high demand, so they can take their pick of where they choose to work. They don’t want to use outdated or proprietary technologies or spend time bogged down trying to fix inefficiencies in your systems. Implementing the DevOps platforms they already know will keep them challenged and effective — ultimately improving your IT staff turnover figures.
