THE THREE WAYS EXPLAINED: FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF DEVOPS

Whether you’re new to DevOps or you’re just wondering how to better implement the methodology within your organization, it can be helpful to revisit the core principles that serve as the foundation for how your operations teams manage systems and run applications.

The Three Ways Explained

The Three Ways are the foundational principles that guide DevOps. These principles can be described in slightly different ways, but the overall concept of each is similar. In this quick overview, we’re going to be referencing Atlassian’s interpretation of The Three Ways.

The First Way: Systems Thinking

Software applications are complex systems. Teams that practice systems thinking focus on the performance of the entire system versus its individual parts. Under this line of thinking, the flow of work should always be moving forward. Any loss in momentum is a problem to solve. The goals of systems thinking are to maximize the flow of work and avoid passing defects downstream.

The Second Way: Feedback Loops

Feedback loops in DevOps refers to communication that amplifies a certain outcome, good or bad. Essentially, you’re trying to shorten and amplify feedback loops in a way that helps optimize organizational processes to account for any deficiencies and streamline product delivery. When your feedback loops are in check, that allows for fast delivery of a higher quality product.

The Third Way: Cultural Change

DevOps supports a culture of continuous experimentation and learning. This mindset is what helps organizations stay on top of trends and innovate. Successfully leveraging the first two “Ways” help you reach this level of cultural change within your organization. Systems thinking enables more time for experimentation due to your organization’s forward momentum. Amplified positive feedback loops help keep risks in check while also facilitating learning opportunities.

For deeper learning and understanding of these principles, check out the book “The Fifth Discipline” by Peter Senge.

Applying the Three Ways Within Your Organization

Organizations that use the DevOps methodology tend to be more innovative and efficient, which in turn makes them more prepared for whatever the future may bring. At Mumo Systems, we provide DevOps consulting services for teams using Jira and other Atlassian DevOps tools.

Contact us to learn more about how your team can refine your DevOps workflows.