Traditional models of operation too often separate business functions. The idea is that they are free to flourish or perish in accordance with their merits and resources. Unfortunately, too much of this type of thinking can lend itself to over-specialization and a siloed organizational structure in which teams are so focused on what is in their own lane, that they no longer communicate or collaborate with the other teams in the organization. For too long, development and operations teams have operated in a vacuum, independent of one another. These silos limit communication between teams, often at the expense of the company. One of the goals of IT DevOps is to maintain effective specializations while eliminating the silo structure that can drastically impede your company’s workflow. When DevOps is fully implemented and functional, all parties in the organization work in tandem toward common objectives.
IT Silos and Why They’re Bad for the WorkFlow
Within many organizations, the rise of the silo mentality has come about based on a variety of contributing factors, including a flawed budgeting process, company tradition or expectation, conflicted management groups, or any one of a number of other potential causes. IT silos aren't erected in a vacuum, though they are clearly impediments to everything from communication to process management to innovation. That said, it can be far more productive for an organization to work on moving away from the silo mentality than to invest great amounts of time and energy into figuring out why the silo mentality exists in the first place. One great way to move away from IT silos is through IT DevOps changing team structures through implementation of DevOp tools.
IT DevOps Process and Implementation Tools
DevOps is more than just a mindset, and the process can be augmented by using the correct tools. The first function of DevOps implementation is to get operations and development groups working together as two areas of specialization that form a complete team. In order to do so, it is necessary to have buy-in on a conceptual framework that champions the sharing of a culture of mutual responsibility toward lean manufacturing principles. The implementation of this culture of mutual responsibility must be achieved through open communication that is measurable by both teams. The complete application of these principles to IT development and operations processes and management is beyond the scope of a blog post, but can be researched more fully through a variety of resources. One primary source worthy of further investigation is Gene Kim’s DevOps Handbook: How to Create World-Class Agility, Reliability, and Security in Technology Organizations.
IT DevOps Breaks Down Silos and Increases Efficiencies Through Changes to Team Structures
Shaking the silo mentality and the ways in which it negatively impacts your ITSM can be a challenging undertaking. But the applications of DevOps principles (including the championing of both collaboration and broad accountability) will eventually break down the silos that impede workflows. Once DevOps processes and principles have been implemented, the drive toward automation becomes easier as teams work iteratively toward collaborative standardization. When it comes to ITSM, it is imperative that the right hand works together with the left, and that each knows what the other is doing.
Michael Mazyar is responsible for implementing the SolarWinds Service Desk vision, including all service and technology strategy and serves as our Distinguished Engineer of ITSM. A…
