This document discusses using value stream mapping to chart the journey to continuous deployment. It defines continuous deployment as deploying code to production with no human involvement after a commit is merged. It explains that value stream maps focus on how value is delivered and identify value generating, necessary waste, and unnecessary waste activities. The document provides examples of value stream maps and discusses how reducing batch sizes, lead times, and deployment frequencies can help teams become more confident and efficient in their delivery processes. The overall message is that continuous deployment is a realistic goal for over 90% of teams by focusing on delivering value, eliminating waste, and gaining confidence in release processes.

1. Chart the Journey to
Continuous Deployment
With a Value Stream Map

2. Chart the Journey to
Continuous Deployment
With a Value Stream Map

3. 3
Key Takeaways
1. VSMs are about how you deliver
2. It’s all about confidence
3. Continuous Deployment is a realistic target for
over 90% of teams

4. 4

5. 5
Continuous Deployment
From a commit being merged into a shared
branch, it is deployed into production with
no human involvement

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Continuous Deployment
Maximise time delivering value

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3 Activity Types
Value Generating
Necessary Waste
Unnecessary Waste

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3 Activity Types
Value Generating <- Maximise
Necessary Waste <- Minimise
Unnecessary Waste <- Eliminate

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What Does
Good Software
Delivery
Look Like?

10. Less than 1
day
Multiple
times per
day
Less than 1
hour
0-15%
Lead Time
Time to Restore Service Change Failure Rate
Deployment Frequency

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Batch Sizes
Smaller batches
Less Risky
Move Faster
More Predictable

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Transaction vs Holding Cost
Holding Cost Holding Cost
Transaction Cost
Transaction Cost
Total Cost Total Cost
Optimal Batch
Optimal Batch
DevOps Lowers Transaction Costs, Allowing Smaller Batches

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The Gemba Walk

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The Gemba Walk
1. Pick a theme
2. Prepare your team
3. Focus on the process, not the people
4. Be where the value stream is
5. Record your observations, don’t make suggestions
6. Bring an impartial observer
7. Follow-up

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Value Stream
Maps

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Deployment Frequency
Lead Time

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Every 2 Weeks
2 Weeks

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Deploying to Production
Confident that
Value of Release > Risk of Release

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2 days
15 minutes 2 hours
5 days

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Manual QA
Should be purely exploratory
Automate all regression testing

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3 Activity Types
Value Generating
Necessary Waste <- QA Testing
Unnecessary Waste <- Waiting on QA

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Feature Flags
Canary Deployments
Blue/Green Deployments

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Why not Continuous
Deployment?
Inherently High Risk of Release
Inherently High Cost of Change

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Why not Continuous
Deployment?
Too Expensive?

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Smaller Batches
Less Risky
Move Faster
More Predictable

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Key Takeaways
1. VSMs are about how you deliver
2. It’s all about confidence
3. Continuous Deployment is a realistic target for
over 90% of teams