ChatOps, AIOps, GitOps, CloudOps… are some of the DevOps trends that have been gaining popularity in recent years, but despite the conversation generated around these technologies, we are not seeing many revolutionary changes that have emerged from the “X” varieties. -Oops».
This begs the question: are companies too preoccupied with embracing “new” DevOps trends and tend to forget the basics? Perhaps this pressure to keep up with the latest trends could be alleviated by focusing on implementing reliable and efficient software development that has the fundamental principles of people, tools, and collaboration at its core.
These three fundamental principles represent the essence of DevOps, and while “X-ops”, Artificial Intelligence and low-code/no-code processes can help companies accelerate their modernization and digital transformation journeys, the human element remains at the very heart of DevOps. In fact, the DevOps methodology and practice is intended to create closer collaboration between teams, not replace them, to drive business development and improve results, as well as provide a better experience for the end user. Let’s take a look at two of the most popular trends that have emerged in recent years, weighing their pros and cons, and debunk some of the most popular DevOps myths along the way.
ChatOps and the myth of autonomy
ChatOps is a collaboration model created to facilitate integration between various DevOps platforms, tools, and IT management teams. It allows teams to improve their work thanks to bots that act as “another member of the team”, receiving requests and sending instant responses to the team. One of its advantages is that it is educational, since each action is recorded and allows team members to learn from previous activities.
ChatOps has many other benefits, and automation plays an important role in helping teams collaborate better and work more efficiently, while creating a more engaging user experience through bot interactions.
However, ChatOps products are intended to aid teamwork and efficiency, not replace it. For example, in the case of a complex project that requires close team collaboration, the outcome will depend on the ability of individuals to work together, be creative, overcome challenges, and achieve results, and ChatOps cannot replace those human skills. Although useful and attractive, ChatOps is not a totally autonomous system that can miraculously replace human work and achievement.
What’s more, in sectors with incredibly robust security measures like healthcare or finance, ChatOps could present certain security risks with significant consequences, such as employees accessing sensitive information that should not be visible to them. Therefore, companies must identify which area of the business they are trying to improve with ChatOps and weigh the potential risks before implementing these types of tools.
Low code/no code and the myth of simplicity
Low code/no code tools make application development easy for non-developers and business users because they are based on easy-to-understand, visual techniques (such as drag and drop), so anyone can automate workflows and create apps.
Their main advantage is that they can increase efficiency and productivity, allowing programmers and non-programmers alike to spend more time improving the user experience, rather than devoting their energy to coding or fixing bugs.
As a result, low code/no code tools help increase the speed of software development by shortening release cycles, but also by increasing team productivity and reducing challenges related to lack of skills or the need to update skills (given that coding knowledge is not necessary to operate in many of these systems).
On the other hand, low code/no code tools also have disadvantages like limited flexibility or security risks. Firstly, because these tools are usually more suitable for internal applications that have a limited scope of functionality, since they can be created by specific teams that need them and do not require the help of an engineering team.
However, things can get a bit complicated when using low code/no code tools for client-facing applications, which are often based on complex business logic that evolves over time. Users rely on built-in capabilities, which means workflows can’t be easily customized.
This could backfire on agility, as rigid workflows could slow things down and lead to companies not being able to deliver new features as smoothly as intended, which in turn could compromise customer satisfaction. . Second, security can also be an issue of concern, as companies do not have access to or control over the source code of these systems, so their data can be susceptible to security vulnerabilities and flaws.
Because of these drawbacks, low code/no code tools can pose significant risks to companies, potentially even putting them out of business. Therefore, the myth of simplicity associated with low code/no code is built on underlying complications that companies may not be aware of, but which could jeopardize their reputation and the level of customer satisfaction they can expect. to offer.
Conclusion: A people-centric approach remains the key
A closer look at the latest trends in DevOps reveals that a people-centric and collaborative approach is still necessary for DevOps teams to work at peak performance and deliver results.
Humans remain an integral part of advances in automation and their work still needed to make scalability, reliability and business growth a reality. Of course, automation and easy-to-use systems can help teams deliver software quickly, but we can’t expect automation to work completely autonomously or to solve complex problems that require human skills.
A strong foundation of DevOps practices, combined with collaborative ways of working, must work in harmony with the technology, so companies need to weigh the pros and cons before starting to embrace these new trends.
Signed: Anders Wallgren, Vice President of Technology Strategy at CloudBees
