The Best Way for Dev and Ops to Collaborate - Part 1

When you say "DevOps" one of the first words that comes to mind is "collaboration." Even the structure of the word "DevOps" implies that Dev and Ops are coming together, collaborating in a way they had not done before.

It seems a simple enough idea. To deliver better software you need development and operations to work together. To collaborate. But collaboration is hard. Not because either camp does not want to talk, but because the very focus on these two organizations is different. Development is all about the change. Getting new stuff out as fast as possible. They are rewarded on what they release. Operations is the opposite. Change is their enemy because it undermines their primary measure of success, stability. So how do you get two groups from two different worlds to collaborate? Shared goals, shared rewards and shared values. By connecting both camps to a simple set of goals (what are we trying to do), rewards (and you get this for doing it), and values (this is what I expect of you all) you build an environment that encourages and supports collaboration. Set hard targets that only by working together, ops and development can solve them.
Dave West
CEO and Product Owner, Scrum.org