The document discusses how a 17th century book on samurai strategies called "Go Rin No Sho" can teach modern DevOps practices. It outlines 9 principles from the book, mapping each to a DevOps equivalent: be honest about what's working and what isn't, focus on practicing DevOps not just talking about it, understand all related technologies, develop empathy for other teams, use DevOps in measurable ways, recognize patterns through postmortems, measure everything, pay attention to details, and avoid useless activities. The final message is to accept failure as inevitable.

1. Go Rin No Sho
(A Book of Five Rings)
What a 17th century
samurai can teach us about
DevOps
Matthew Boeckman
VP - Infrastructure
@matthewboeckman

2. First Principle
Do not think dishonestly

3. Be honest about what’s
working, and what isn’t

4. Second Principle
The Way is in training

5. Do DevOps, don’t talk about it

6. Third Principle
Become acquainted with
every art

7. Be conversant across the stack

8. Fourth Principle
Know the Ways
Of all Professions

9. Develop organizational
empathy

10. Fifth Principle
Distinguish between
gain and loss in worldly
matters

11. Use DevOps in
Measurable ways

12. Sixth principle
Develop intuitive judgement
and understanding of
everything

13. Pattern recognition
Run postmortems

14. Seventh Principle
Perceive those things
Which cannot
Be seen

15. Measure. Everything.

16. Eighth Principle
Pay attention
Even
To trifles

17. Stay dialed in to
Your reality

18. Ninth Principle
Do nothing
Which is of
No use

19. Do nothing which is of no use

20. The Way of the Warrior is this:
Resolute acceptance of death.
Accept failure!
(thanks! @matthewboeckman)