Assessing the Transformational Impact of DevOps in IT Companies and Startups : Analysis of Pre- and Post-Adoption

Sammanfattning

Abstract In the contemporary landscape, software companies face significant pressure to rapidly deliver new features and updates to customers. This urgency is driven by several factors, including the fast pace of technological advancements, evolving customer needs, and intense competition. To achieve swift and frequent software delivery, companies must exhibit flexibility and efficiency throughout the entire software development lifecycle. This is where DevOps plays a crucial role. DevOps is a methodology that integrates development and operations teams, facilitating collaboration and dismantling silos to accelerate product delivery. The adoption of DevOps has surged in recent years as companies seek to leverage its benefits. However, implementing DevOps can present challenges. It is essential to comprehend how DevOps functions within an organization prior to its adoption. This study provides to the researchers and software developers a deep understanding of how DevOps operates within organizations before and after adoption. Key lessons learned include conceptual insights such as the critical role of team collaboration, the impact of cultural shifts on successful DevOps integration, and the importance of aligning DevOps practices with organizational goals. Practically, the research highlights strategies to overcome adoption challenges, such as implementing effective communication frameworks, investing in automated tools, and fostering a learning culture within teams. The study identifies the advantages of DevOps for companies that already utilize the agile model, pinpoints the challenges faced by companies when adopting DevOps, and explores strategies to overcome these obstacles. It also determines the most prevalent DevOps practices and common issues encountered by DevOps teams during various stages of software development, such as integration, testing and deployment. To accomplish these goals, the researcher employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Qualitative research involves collecting non-numerical data through interviews and textual documents, while quantitative research entails gathering numerical data via surveys and experiments. The research process begins with a systematic literature review to assess existing studies on the benefits, challenges, and practices of DevOps. Following this, the researcher conducts interviews with DevOps team members to gather detailed insights and strategies for overcoming adoption challenges. Subsequently, the researcher analyzes the aggregated data from all sources to derive comprehensive insights into DevOps practices and challenges, providing actionable recommendations for organizations seeking to adopt and optimize DevOps methodologies.