What is DevOps?

Have you ever stumbled upon a DevOps joke on Tech Twitter and thought, "What the heck is DevOps?" According to GitLab,

"DevOps combines development and operations to increase the efficiency, speed, and security of software development and delivery compared to traditional processes."

Basically, DevOps is like that your best friend. The one who was there for you during your breakups and would not hesitate to let you know when youre being foolish. So, grab a snack and get ready because we're about to show you 5 tips that will boost your DevOps productivity and make you feel like a coding superhero.

Tip 1: Focus on User Feedback

You know what they say, behind every great software developer is an army of satisfied users. Just like Pharrell Williams said,

"Without our fans, we're just people with crazy dreams."

That's why it's so important to pay attention to user feedback when it comes to DevOps. After all, who better to tell you what works and what doesn't than the people actually using your product? So, let's channel our inner Pharrell and get ready to take notes on some insider tips for incorporating user feedback into your DevOps processes in the most efficient and effective way possible:

• Create a support forum: Giving your users a place to share their thoughts and ideas is a win-win. They feel heard and you get valuable feedback to make your product even better. Think about it - when you have an issue with your iPad or Samsung, you head straight to their support page or forum, right? That's because it's a convenient and easy way for them to collect feedback. So why not make it just as simple for your users to share their thoughts with you?

• Do surveys: One of the best ways to get user feedback is by asking for it directly. Think about it, you just downloaded a new app to your phone or tablet, and Poof! a survey asking for your thoughts on the app appears on your screen. That's what you want to do with your DevOps! Surveys are an excellent way to find out what your users like, what they don't like, and what they want to see in future updates. This information can then be used to make improvements, fix bugs, and develop new features that your users will love. So, take a cue from the App Store or Google Play Store and start asking your users for their thoughts on your software.

Tip 2: Emphasize Culture Over Tools

Up until now, we've talked about the importance of user feedback and making sure your users have a platform to share their thoughts. But what if I told you that there's a deeper, more powerful way to boost your DevOps productivity? A way that goes beyond the tools and technology, and delves into the heart and soul of DevOps itself? Yes, you guessed it, it's the culture! Even though tools do help with making the DevOps process easier, it's ultimately, you, the developer (or whatever tech role you have) that streamlines the process.

In my experience with Learn, Build, Teach(a wonderful community led by James Q. Quick), we take a hands-on approach to promote a culture of productivity in DevOps. Our leaders hold regular live coding sessions with members on Discord where we work together to improve the server bot and share our coding victories in "Wins of the Week." By making culture a priority and giving members opportunities to collaborate and learn from each other, we ensure that our DevOps processes are always moving forward and improving.

With these strategies in place, your DevOps team will be whipping up code faster than a short-order cook at a busy diner. So, let's move on to the next tip and keep that productivity train rolling!

Tip 3: Implement Root Cause Analysis

Think the glitch in your weather app is just a small issue? Ehh, not quite. That glitch could be just the tip of the iceberg, hiding a much deeper problem lurking beneath the surface. That's where root cause analysis comes in. When conducting this process, you want to consider all of the possibilities of why an issue is happening. Just like when I tried to update one of the sections for my Linkfree profile, I noticed that my pull request would constantly get notification errors. At first, I thought it was because I wrote in the wrong information, but after analyzing my JSON file with a colleague, we both realized that my pull request was not being merged because I was missing a comma after the ending bracket. By delving deeper into the problem, you can ensure you're addressing the root cause of the issue, rather than just slapping a band-aid on the symptom and saying "Done!". Alright! You made it past level 3. Now let's go to the fourth tip.

Tip 4: Foster a Learning Environment

Alright, you think that you've got DevOps all figured out, but I have to be honest, you don't. Tech is always growing and changing at a fast pace, and if you don't attempt to learn the latest methods, tools, or processes, you're going to be left behind. Here are some ways you can implement continuous learning in your DevOps:

• Attend hackathons or do coding challenges: Not only do you get to learn new skills, but you also get a chance to meet other coders and expand your network. Case and point, check out my post on attending the SheBuilds hackathon.

• Read tech newsletters: Like I always say, A read a day keeps the bugs away! 😊 I highly recommend Pointer.io to stay updated on tech trends.

• Facilitate conversations in your online tech communities: Teaching others is a great way to learn about new tech. For me, I would have not learned about Open Sauced had I not joined EddieHub.

Remember learning only stops when you stop. Alright, we're at the final tip, let's lace up our sneakers and ace the final boss level.

Tip 5: Encourage Cross-Functional Collaboration

Picture your DevOps team as a sports team, where each member brings unique skills, expertise, and plays a specific role to contribute to the overall success of the team. But to really hit it out of the park, it's crucial for everyone to come together and collaborate effectively. That's where cross-functional collaboration comes in! By utilizing the strengths of each member, you can boost productivity, drive innovation, and achieve great results. So, let's take a closer look at some ways to implement cross-functional collaboration in DevOps:

• Add your comments on an issue raised in the product's repository: Maybe the navigation section on the product's website needs more tabs? Or the design of the weather app needs darker colors? Whatever idea you have in that brain of yours, don't hesitate to share your ideas, you'll never know, they could be the very thing that helps solve the issue.

• Ask your colleagues if they need help: Look, I know asking this can be intimidating, but let's face it, doing DevOps alone can be stressful, so lending a helping hand can make this process more bearable.

• Add lines of code that play into your strengths: Remember, don't be afraid to use what you know. It might be the very thing that makes the DevOps process go smoother. In my case, documentation is one of the strongest skills in my tech stack(to my baby coders, this is a fancy way of saying "coding skills"), so I always try to implement them at any point in the DevOps process. In fact, my colleague, loftwah, thanked me for making edits to his project's README file as it made his repo more organized.

Conclusion

Yay, you made it past the final level! 🥳 DevOps can be tricky, but by using some user feedback, a hint of root cause analysis, a dash of continuous learning, and a pinch of collaboration, doing DevOps will be pretty easy. Speaking of teams, if you want to join my crew and navigate the crazy seas of coding, click on the subscribe button on top and connect with me via my other socials on Linkfree.

Credits

High Five Teamwork GIF by Abi Bock

Happy Let's Do it GIF by HBO Max

Level Up Gamer GIF by Root-Users

Lets Go Car GIF by Honda

Lets Go Reaction GIF by BET

Thank You Next Move on GIF by Jimmy Arca