Eve Logunova-Parker Details Agile’s Role in the Age of IT Automation

Agile methodology remains relevant in modern IT and must adapt and coexist with evolving IT practices while preserving its core values.

Brandon Taylor

October 30, 2023

In this archived keynote session, Eve Logunova-Parker, CEO of Evenness, discusses various aspects of agile methodology in the context of modern IT and its relevance in the face of automation and changing landscapes in IT operations. Logunova-Parker highlights the transition from traditional IT operations to various methodologies, including DevOps, NoOps, CloudOps, AIOps, and BizOps.

This segment was part of our live “DevSecOps Essentials That Enable Efficient Security” virtual event. The event was presented by InformationWeek and ITPro Today on Oct. 17, 2023.

View the entire webinar on-demand here.

The transcript of the video follows below. Minor edits have been made for clarity.

Transcript:

Eve Logunova-Parker: In terms of agile methodology, the ingredients consist of a few letters, starting with ‘A’.

  • The letter A stands for Adaptability: This is the cornerstone of agile methodology, emphasizing the ability to quickly respond to changes and uncertainties in the IT landscape.

  • ‘G’ stands for Growth: Agile promotes both personal and organizational growth through continuous learning and improvement.

  • The letter ‘I’ stands for Innovation Culture: Agile encourages innovation by fostering a culture of experimentation and creativity.

  • ‘L’ is for Learning Culture: Addressing the creation of a learning culture within organizations where continuous improvement is encouraged and seen as an opportunity for growth.

  • Now, if we look at this ‘I’, it's for Iteration: Agile relies on iterative cycles to continuously refine and enhance products or processes.

  • ‘T’ is for Transparency: Transparency, communication, and decision-making are vital to an agile team’s success.

  • And ‘Y’, finally, is for Yield and You: Ultimately, agile's goal is to produce outcomes that bring value to customers and stakeholders.

Related:Traditional IT Roles Are Declining: Here's How IT Engineers Must Respond

Throughout my keynote, I will address three key questions: What is the essence of agile in the context of modern IT and why does it remain relevant amid this surge in automation? As low code/no code platforms become more prominent, can agile coexist with these tools without compromising process control and quality checks? How can we ensure the integrity of agile values including adaptability and collaboration?

I know many of you are super agile and have experience but stay with me for a few facts that you know. I hope this presentation looks inspired.

So, here is the changing landscape of IT. Let's refresh our memory on the evolution of IT operations. NoOps, DevOps, CloudOps, AIOps, ITOps – so many Ops! In our ever-evolving digital landscape, it is crucial to recognize the shifts in IT operations that have shaped the way we work today. So, let's refresh our memory.

We've witnessed the emergence of various Ops methodologies, each with its own set of principles and practices. IT operations, or ITOps, is the traditional model involving siloed teams responsible for infrastructure management, network operations, and system administration. It often led to inefficiencies, slow response times, and limited collaboration between teams.

From ITOps, we moved on to DevOps. DevOps emerged as a response to the need for faster, more reliable software delivery. It focuses on breaking down silos between development and IT operations teams. DevOps promotes automation, continuous integration, and continuous delivery pipelines to streamline the software development and deployment process.

NoOps represents the vision where IT operations become entirely automated. In a NoOps environment, developers are freed from managing infrastructure as all aspects of IT operations are automated, from provisioning to monitoring and scanning. While it's an ambitious goal, it reflects the desire for maximum efficiency and automation.

With the widespread adoption of cloud computing, CloudOps emerged to manage and optimize cloud resources effectively. CloudOps teams focus on cost management, resource provisioning, and ensuring the scalability and availability of cloud-based applications.

AIOps (and everyone is passionate about AIOps at the moment) leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance operations by automating tasks such as log analysis, anomaly detection, and root cause analysis. AIOps helps IT teams identify and resolve issues more proactively, reducing downtime and improving system reliability.

BizDevOps, or business DevOps, extends the DevOps philosophy to include business stakeholders. It emphasizes the alignment of business objectives with software development and IT operations. In BizDevOps, business teams collaborate closely with development and IT operations to ensure that software solutions meet strategic goals and customer needs.

There are also DevSecOps and others, but I will address DevSecOps later in my keynote.

Watch the entire ‘DevSecOps Essentials That Enable Efficient Security’ virtual event here.

About the Author

Brandon Taylor

Brandon Taylor supports Data Center Knowledge, InformationWeek, ITPro Today and Network Computing. He enables the successful delivery of sponsored content programs, secures speakers for the brands' many events, and assists in content strategy.

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