This document discusses protecting the "DevOps whale" in large enterprises by embracing agile practices like continuous delivery and avoiding traditional waterfall approaches. It outlines a journey of forming a diverse alliance to take on challenges, learning from failures and successes, and decentralizing excellence throughout the organization rather than relying on a single leader. The goal is to transform the culture by building platforms for continuous progress rather than isolated projects.

1. Protecting The Devops Whale in Large Enterprises
Justin Arbuckle
Chief Architect - GE Capital
with artwork by Matt Kish

2. the narrative arc
Looming
Alliances and Prophets
Appearance
Challenge
Captains
Squall
Spearing
Sparing
Hunters
Sea and Land
2

3. 3

4. Horses can’t be unicorns. But they can have a
whale of a time. (ba-da-boom)
(apologies to Chris Little)
4

5. “It is not down on any map; true places never are.”
!
• Planning a credible journey
• Building a diverse alliance
• Keeping your Compass by losing your centre
• Remembering your route
5

6. Looming
Decide to “go to sea”.
Stop being an observer. Have a point
of view. Don’t outsource it.
!
A problem looms. Always.
!
Consistency is the root of…
security
stability
simplicity
6

7. Land & Sea
this is the land:
Waterfall, big designs and slowly
failing projects.
!
this is the sea:
Open Source, Continuous Delivery,
Agile, MVP, DevOps and fast failing
projects.
!
The sea is a location unlike ‘cloud,’
which is a method.
7

8. Alliance & Prophets
Beware of prophets of doom, find
your “Spouter Inn”
!
Find those who share the problem
and need to get to sea…
!
8

9. Appearance
The looming idea becomes real.
!
Show them.
Early demonstrations to everybody.
You will know if others lack faith.
9

10. Planning a Credible
Journey
When you havent shown the way
Looming
Alliances
Appearance
Sea and Land
10

11. Challenge
Set a challenge to SHOW the payoff
- full stack, short timeframe, visible.
!
faster = better design (!)
faster to MVP proves your process
!
BUT speed is not enough…it’s not
even the most important thing.
11

12. Hunters
A dedicated team from across the
businesses
…who will return to shore one day.
!
You CANNOT be the centre. (That’s
Ahab’s way)
!
12

13. Building a Diverse
Alliance
When you have mis-framed the challenge
Challenge
Hunters
13
the autonomy arc

14. Captains
You will meet many along the way.
And you will meet them on the way
back…
!
Demonstrate everything as you go,
transparency is your friend.
!
make them merchants of what you
are seeking.
14

15. Squall
Five Kinds, usually 2 at a time:
1. Technical
2. Organisational
3. Cultural
4. Commercial
5. Procedural
!
Every one is weathered by relying on the
spread of your alliance in the challenge
!
DECENTRE YOUR EXCELLENCE
15

16. A digression on the myth of control
& the law of requisite variety
the more complex and evolving the change
required in behaviours, the deeper within the
system the control for it needs to be devolved.

17. Keeping your Compass
by Losing your Centre
When your compass fails
Squall
Spearing
Sparing
Captains
17
the peer arc
execution debt

18. Spearing
Long hours, many failed
attempts..and finally success.
!
Reward visibly.
!
Some will not have made it. Dont
be afraid to differentiate but draw
them back in for the next round.
18

19. Sparing
Your first challenge should result in
a platform for the next.
!
19

20. Remembering your
route
blameless post-mortems
Spearing
Sparing
20
Hunters

21. The Archetypes All of them at some time…
Ahab
Starbuck Ishmael
the Whale
Queequeg

22. be the whale

23. all art used by permission - Matt Kish
check out “Moby Dick in Pictures” on Amazon
(re)reading the original book wouldn't be a bad idea either…
23

24. justin.arbuckle@ge.com
linkedIn : /justinarbuckle
twitter : @dromologue
dromologue.com