This document outlines 5 steps to a DevOps transformation: 1. Establish a bold, inspiring, and actionable vision focused on business outcomes. A bad vision can lead to failure. 2. Find evangelists to help share the vision and form a team to nurture and publicly praise. 3. Create shared experiences by bringing people together to share knowledge and build reference points to inspire the organization. 4. Educate everyone in the organization on DevOps through various training methods and make knowledge sharing a priority.

1. 1
5 STEPS TO A DEVOPS
TRANSFORMATION
It’s not what we believe, it’s what we do that defines
our culture.
Dan Barker
Chief Architect - Archer
@barkerd427

2. 2
Establish the vision
@barkerd427

3. 3
“A strong team can take
any crazy vision and turn
it into reality.”
John Carmack
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4. 4
The vision creates empowerment
▪ But I’m not a leader!!!
▪ Bold
▪ Inspiring
▪ Actionable
▪ Business-focused
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6. 6
Bad vision -> bad outcomes
▪ Biased for failure
▪ No vision
▪ IT-focused
▪ Lack clarity
▪ Not actionable
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7. 7
Find evangelists
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8. 8
“It is not about whether you call yourself a
leader or not. It is about what you have to
show to people as a leader. Leadership is
contagious, you carry it and share it.”
Israelmore Ayivor
@barkerd427

9. 9
You can’t do it alone
▪ Use anyone willing to help
▪ Nurture this team
▪ This team is a bellwether
▪ Publicly praise team members
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10. 10
Create shared experiences
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11. 11
“Words are symbols for shared memories.
If I use a word, then you should have some
experience of what the word stands for. If
not, the word means nothing to you.”
Jorge Luis Borges
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12. 12
Bringing people together by sharing
▪ Two levels
− Leadership
− Organization
▪ Equally important
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13. 13
Leadership teams need landmarks
▪ Shared information model
▪ Reference point
▪ Provides inspiration
▪ Repeat
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14. 14
Don’t leave everyone else behind
▪ Shared information model
▪ Provides motivation
▪ Leaders should be leading
▪ How?
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15. 15
Educate, educate, educate
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16. 16
“An investment in knowledge pays
the best interest.”
Benjamin Franklin
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17. 17
Learn something new to build something new
▪ Knowledge changes outcomes
▪ Make it a priority
▪ Make it available
▪ Monitor it
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18. 18
Everyone learns differently
▪ Online training
▪ In-person classes
▪ Newsletters
▪ Conferences
▪ Hackathons
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19. 19
Get feedback
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20. 20
“True intuitive expertise is learned
from prolonged experience with good
feedback on mistakes.”
Daniel Kahneman
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21. 21
Measure what matters
▪ Accelerate by Dr. Forsgren
▪ Westrum Culture Survey
▪ User Surveys
▪ 1:1 Feedback
▪ CultureAmp
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22. 22
References
▪ https://itrevolution.com/book/leading-the-transformation/
▪ https://web.mit.edu/2.75/resources/random/How%20Complex%20Systems%20
Fail.pdf
▪ https://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Project-DevOps-Helping-Business/dp/09882
62592
▪ https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Ship-Around-Turning-Followers/dp/1591846404
▪ https://itrevolution.com/book/accelerate/
▪ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1765804/pdf/v013p0ii22.pdf
@barkerd427

23. 23
Dan Barker
dan@danbarker.codes
danbarker.codes
dan.barker@rsa.com
rsa.com
@barkerd427