Last 5 years I have spent growing one of biggest DevOps groups in Nordics and maybe even Europe. This talk is my confession about Do's and Dont's, DevOps anti-patterns and the world were DevOps silo could be a good thing. It also could be called Scaled DevOps but that doesn't cover everything what we do. It has been a journey of 4-5 years going from change to change by experimentation. There are not that many good reads or people where to take advice from how to do this in a large enterprise. No bulls***, real data, real people.

1. RIGA, Latvia
CONFIDENTLY
HOW TO LEAD 100
DEVOPS SPECIALISTS
ULDIS KARLOVS-
KARLOVSKIS
SEPTEMBER 18, 2017

2. OUR GROWTH
Copyright 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved.
FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17
3 3 4 4 4
FY18
Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep
5 5 5 65 6 6 6 7 8
15
30
40
44
50
57
63
72
80
100
@UldisKK

3. Copyright 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved. 3

4. ST LEAD RESPONSIBILITIES
Expertise
in everything
Take care of
your people
Grow your group Ensure demand
for your group

5. DEVOPS ST ORG CHART
(“ULDIS, LISTEN…”)
ULDIS
KARLOVS-KARLOVSKIS
CG
LEAD
P02
P03
P05
P06
P07
P08
P09
P04
2014
Mar
@UldisKK

6. DAILY STAND-UP
FOR EVERYONE
@UldisKK

7. z
COUNSELOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Guide on career
directions
Help counselee
with everything
Monitor performance
And engagement

8. DEVOPS ST ORG CHART
(“ULDIS, WHERE ARE YOU???”)
ULDIS
KARLOVS-KARLOVSKIS
P03
P02
P04
P05
P07
P08
P09
P11
P10 P12P28
P27
P26
P18
P16
P15
P14
P13
P23
P22
P21
P20
P19
P25
CG
LEAD
P17
2015
Nov
@UldisKK

9. DAILY STAND-UP
FOR EVERYONE…
@UldisKK

10. TEAM LEAD RESPONSIBILITIES
Expertise
in everything
Take care of
Project people
Report to ST lead Take care of
project deliveries

11. TEAMLEAD
ATA CG LEAD
DEVOPS ST LEAD (ULDIS)
TEAMLEAD
TEAMLEAD
TEAMLEAD
DevOps Teamlead DevOps specialist
PROJECT
PROJECT
A
PROJECT
B
PROJECT
C
DEVOPS PROJECT CHART
(“TEAMLEAD LISTEN… OK,I’LL ASK ULDIS”)
2016
Jan
@UldisKK

12. WOKE UP ONE MORNING, REALIZED I HAVE 25
PEOPLE, FREAKED OUT, SKIPPED JOB
3-4 TYPES OF DEVOPS PROJECTS
NON-PROJ ACTIVITIES, ONLY URGENT OVER
IMPORTANT
TAKING CARE OF EVERYTHING AND WORKING
10-12H/DAY
@UldisKK

13. SME RESPONSIBILITIES
Work on non-project
activities
Increase
engagement,
satisfaction,
motivation etc.
Assess DevOps
Maturity in projects
Consult others
on DevOps
Show example
to others

14. 1 SME TEAM TO HELP ME
FAILURE
@UldisKK

15. SME TEAMS
DevOps
innovators
DevOps
marketing
DevOps
presenters
DevOps
philosophers
DevOps
bureaucrats
DevOps
interviewers
DevOps
roadrunners
DevOps
motivators
Legal alien
In Riga

16. SME
Platform
innovators
Marketing
SME Z
no SME
ATA CG lead
DevOps ST lead (Uldis)
Project
PROJECT A
PROJECT B
PROJECT C
Teamlead
SME Teamlead
DevOps SME Teamlead DevOps specialist
DEVOPS ST ORG
(“SME LISTEN… OK,I’LL ASK ULDIS”)
2016
Jun
@UldisKK

17. EVANGELIST RESPONSIBILITIES
Experitise in
specialization
Training
roadmaps
Engagement
of people
(sync with SME group
motivators)
Regular
recognition
of people
Talent Discussions,
Rewards,
Outcomes twice
a year
Get input for
Talent Discussions
From projects
Intern-to-employee
discussion
Consult which
Career Counselor
to pick

18. DevOps Evangelist
ATA CG lead
DevOps ST lead (Uldis)
DevOps Evangelist
DevOps Evangelist
Project
PROJECT A
PROJECT B
PROJECT C
Teamlead
Guild DevOps for XaaS and SDx DevOps for Containers DevOps for Z
SME
Platform
innovators
Marketing
SME Z
no SME
SME Teamlead
DevOps Evangelist DevOps SME Teamlead DevOps specialist
DEVOPS ST ORG
(“EVANGELIST, LISTEN… OK, I’LL ASK ULDIS)
2017
Jan
@UldisKK

19. GODFATHER RESPONSIBILITIES
Discus new
projects
Help Solution
Architects
Agree on
Future staffing
plans
Keeping an
Eye on a project
Being point of escalation
After teamlead
Current staffing
issues
Closing/ending
A project

20. SME
Platform
innovators
Marketing
SME Z
no SME DevOps Evangelist
ATA CG lead
DevOps ST lead (Uldis)
DevOps Evangelist
DevOps Evangelist
Project
PROJECT A
PROJECT B
PROJECT C
Teamlead
SME Teamlead
Guild DevOps for XaaS and SDx DevOps for Containers DevOps for Z
Godfather 1
Godfather 2
Godfather 3
DevOps Evangelist DevOps SME Teamlead DevOps specialist DevOps Godfather
DEVOPS ST ORG-MATRIX EXAMPLE
(“GODFATHER, LISTEN… OK, I’LL ASK EVANGELIST)
DevOps Teamlead
2017
Jul

21. Copyright 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved. 21
AS RESULT
THIS IS WHAT WE SHOW TO CLIENTS

22. RDC DEVOPS OVERVIEW
Copyright 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved.
The delivery centre in Riga was established in 2002 and its primary role is to act as a
nearshore centre for the Nordic region. The delivery centre is a 1.400 people company
today with 100 clients in 23 countries.
Financial
services
XaaS and SDx 14
ADOP, AWS, Jenkins
Communications
media and high tech Products
Heath and public
services Resources
DevOps for Containers 17
Docker, Swarm, Vagrant, Kubernetes
DevOps for Web and Mobile 13
Node.js, xCode, Angular, TestFairy, SOLR
DevOps Methodologies 12
Lean, Agile, ALM, Sonar, CI/CD
Configuration Management 17
Chef, Puppet, Ansible, Salt, Vagrant, Docker
DevOps for Big Data 6
Hadoop, Spark, Hive, HDP, Cloudera, EMR
Microsoft DevOps 6
PowerShell, TFS, C#, IIS, Azure, Net, .Net Core
Architecture / Infrastructure / Integration / Consulting
Cloud Native Engineering · Agile · DevOps
CMMI · KANBAN · SCRUM · CONTINUOUS DELIVERY · CONTINUOUS DEPLOYMENT
@UldisKK

23. Copyright 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved.
TRAININGS
General DevOps
roadmap
85 DevOps specialists
DevOps
Methodologies
roadmap
12 specialists
Configuration
Management
Automation
roadmap
17 specialists
DevOps for Big
Data roadmap
6
specialists
DevOps for XaaS
and SDx roadmap
14 specialists
DevOps for Web and
Mobile roadmap
13 specialists
DevOps for
Containers roadmap
17 specialists
Microsoft DevOps
roadmap
6
specialists
+ 15 interns
@UldisKK

24. DEVOPS OPERATING MODELS
DevOps Platform team
DevOps Specialists in Scrum
team
DevOps Consultants/Assessors
team
DevOps Transformation team
DevOps ST lead
DevOps Evangelists
DevOps Specialists
DevOps SMEs
DevOps Godfathers
DevOps Architects
@UldisKK

25. AS LEAD I NEED TO THINK ABOUT...
Copyright 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved.
EVANGELIST
COMMUNITY
SPECIALIZATION
ESCALATION ON PEOPLE
SUPERVISOR
PURPOSE
COUNSELOR
SUPPLY
COMMON SKILLS
PROJECT PERF.
ESCALATION FOR PROJECT
SELF-DEVELOPMENT
CARREER
PERSONAL STUFF
STRATEGY
COMMUNITY
SME/ST LEAD
EVANGELIST
GROWTH
GODFATHER
DEMAND
QA (“BE EFFICIENT”)
SPEC. SKILS
@UldisKK

26. Copyright 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved.
EVANGELIST
COMMUNITY
SPECIALIZATION
ESCALATION ON PEOPLE
SUPERVISOR
PURPOSE
COUNSELOR
SELF-DEVELOPMENT
CARREER
PERSONAL STUFF
SUPLAY
EVANGELIST
GROWTH
SPEC. SKILS
ST
COMMUNITY
STRATEGY
SME/ST LEAD
COMMON SKILLS
QA (“BE EFFICIENT”)
DEMAND
GODFATHER
PROJECT PERF.
ESCALATION FOR PROJECT
GODFATHER
AS LEAD I NEED OTHERS TO THINK
ABOUT...
@UldisKK

27. TYPICAL ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES
@UldisKK

28. AGILE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
E.G. SPOTIFY
@UldisKK

29. Copyright 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved.
SOMETHING STILL IS MISSING.
WE NEED TO BE EVEN BETTER THAN THIS
@UldisKK

30. “CULTURE IS
A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE LIVE IN”

31. TYPOLOGY OF ORGANISATIONAL CULTURES
http://www.qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/13/suppl_2/ii22
THREE DOMINANT TYPES –
PATHOLOGICAL
BUREAUCRATIC
GENERATIVE

32. TYPOLOGY OF ORGANISATIONAL CULTURES
http://www.qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/13/suppl_2/ii22
THREE DOMINANT TYPES –
PATHOLOGICAL - 8h «job is done»
BUREAUCRATIC - 2-12h «if process requires»
GENERATIVE - 2-12h «I'll deliver it!»

33. CULTURE IS
http://www.qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/13/suppl_2/ii22
"... defined as the organisation’s pattern of
response to the problems and opportunities it encounters."

34. CULTURE IS
http://www.qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/13/suppl_2/ii22
"... mutable. With new leadership, an environment
with one kind of culture can change into another." "

35. LEADERSHIP IS EVERYTHING
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/11/8-skills-google-looks-for-in-its-managers/
https://www.amazon.jobs/principles

36. TRANSOFRMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
2017 State of DevOps Report | presented by Puppet + DORA

37. SO WHAT WE ACTUALLY DO
ON DAILY BASIS
Copyright 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved.
WHAT WE DO
ON DAILY BASIS

38. POCS AND MATURITY DASHBOARD
FOR PROJECTS
@UldisKK

39. STUFF TO READ
@UldisKK

40. COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
1) Slack, MS Teams, HipChat
2) Emails
3) Scheduled meetings
4) Skype calls
5) F2F Meeting
6) Ad hoc shouting
@UldisKK

41. DO'S AND DON'TS
@UldisKK

42. SMES MEETINGS WITH KANBAN
@UldisKK

43. MONTHLY ALL-HANDS MEETINGS
@UldisKK

44. INTERN MENTORSHIP/COUNSELING
MEETINGS
@UldisKK

45. CONTINUOUS LEARNING
“SPREAD IT” & “DEVOPS LUNCH”
@UldisKK

46. 1) 55% Top-down – Project Manager or teamlead feedback
2) 15% Bottom-up:
o 360 feedback for team
o Self-assessment for one-man-army
3) 15% Birds eye – Career Counselor feedback
4) 15% Extra mile – Evangelist feedback
OUTPUT:
Fair & transparent decision on bonus and promotion for everyone
HALF-YEARLY PERFORMANCE
ASSESSMENTS
@UldisKK

47. NEWJOINERS BOARD
@UldisKK

48. DEVOPS IN OFF-BUSINESS HOURS
DevOps quarterly outing
DevOps game night
DevOps anime evening
Lunch with ST lead
DevOps brownbag
DevOps hackathon

49. Copyright 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved. 49

50. Copyright 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved.
WHY RIGA DEVOPS
HIGH DEVOPS
MATURITY
LATEST DEVOPS
PRACTICES
LOW COSTEXCLUSIVE
TECHNICAL SKILLS
JUST CULTURECONTINUOUS
LEARNING PRACTICE
@UldisKK

51. 51Copyright 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved.
WHATS NEXT?
GROW TO 150

52. TOWARDS BLACK BELT
• ITIL v3 Foundation 2010
• Scrummaster training 2011
• «Continuous Delivery» (DevOps practices) 2011
• Accenture Leadership, PM, Negotiations and
Supervisor trainings 2012-2014
• «Experiential groups» (group psychology) 2014
• «Vispārīgā psiholoģija» (psychology) 2014
• «Grupu psiholoģija» (group psychology) 2014
• «Evolutionary psychology» (psychology) 2015
• «Leading the transformation: Applying Agile and
DevOps Principles» (DevOps transformation) 2015
• «Management 3.0» (Leading, group psychology)
2016
• «Phoenix Project» (Lean philosophy) 2016
• «Connected Company» (Enterprise, DevOps at Scale) 2016
• «How to Win Friends and Influence People» (psychology) 2016
• Core psychodrama course (group psychology) 2015-2017
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (self-management) 2017
• «DevOps Handbook» (DevOps methodology) 2017
• Playback core course (group psychology) 2017
• «The 4-Hour Workweek» (self-management) 2017
• «The Goal» (Lean philosophy) 2017
• «Who’s in your shoes» (Sociodrama, group psychology) 2017
@UldisKK

53. Copyright 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved. @UldisKK
WHAT NONE OF THOSE BOOKS SAID –
"ENGAGEMENT IS YOUR WORK RESPONSIBILITY”

54. Copyright 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved. 54
QUESTIONS?
@UldisKK