Download to read offline
Uploaded byPeter Varhol
Talking to people: the forgotten DevOps tool
This document discusses how conversation has declined as a tool in DevOps due to increased digital communication and a desire for control. It argues that face-to-face conversation is important for DevOps work because it allows for spontaneity, unexpected ideas, trust-building and practice in communication. The document provides suggestions for incorporating more conversation, such as designing shared work spaces, limiting digital distraction during meetings, bringing dispersed teams together occasionally, and using chatbots to facilitate both communication and tasks.
More Related Content
Similar to Talking to people: the forgotten DevOps tool
![Vibe Coding vs. Spec-Driven Development [Free Meetup]](https://cdn.slidesharecdn.com/ss_thumbnails/vibecodingvsspecdrivendevelopment-251209105622-43f455e7-thumbnail.jpg?width=640&height=640&fit=bounds)
Talking to people: the forgotten DevOps tool
- 1. Confidential, Dynatrace LLC Talkingto People The Forgotten DevOps Tool Peter Varhol, Dynatrace LLC
- 2. About me • Internationalspeaker and writer • Degrees in Math, CS, Psychology • Evangelist at Dynatrace • Former university professor, tech journalist
- 3. “Conversation? It diedin 2009.”
- 4.
- 5. Agenda • Why DevOps? •What is killing conversation • Giving up control • Next steps
- 6. Why Devops? • It’sall about these things • We don’t talk enough
- 7. What Do WeDo Instead? The economy's biggest problem now: the smartphone? The economy has a problem: Workers just aren't producing as much as they once did. Some blame social media. Employees might feel like they're toiling away at the office, but if they are tweeting and Facebook messaging their friends, that's not doing much to boost the economy.
- 8. Have you Ever. . . • Checked email in a meeting? • Updated Facebook for a quick break? • Pulled out your phone because you were bored? • Stopped texting because you didn’t like where the conversation was going?
- 10. We Talk MoreThan Ever • E-mail • Text • IM • Skype • Conference calls
- 11.
- 12. But We SayLess Than Ever • “Let’s touch base” • We comment on the inane • We script our conversations • No spontaneity
- 13. Why Do WeDo This?
- 14. It’s All AboutControl • We are juggling more tasks than ever • Our lives feel out of control • Talking to people is unpredictable • We try to make it predictable • We don’t want the stress
- 15. We are incontrol when we’re not face to face • We can choose to initiate a conversation • We can edit what we say • We can choose when it’s over
- 17. No, We Are NotInvincible
- 18. But We Havea Need to Be in Control • We are afraid to be spontaneous • We want to be the person we would like to be • That means not showing our true selves
- 19. Our Excuses • Idon’t have the time • I’m not good face to face • I stress at encounters • I need “white space” • I’m more productive online • I need a record
- 20. Why Talk AtAll? • The 7 percent rule • 7 percent of information exchanged is verbal • The non-verbal component was body language (55 percent) and tone of voice (38 percent) • This is a measure of information conveyed
- 21. What We LoseThrough Our Devices • Spontaneity • Flow of random ideas • Unexpected solutions • Unexpected problems • Most important • Practice
- 22. Enter DevOps • Breaksdown silos • Combines elements of development and operations • Enables fast deployments • Identifies and fixes problems quickly
- 23. The Role ofCommunications • Streamline processes • Share insights • Get work done • Solve problems
- 24. Designing for Conversation •Put people together in non-meeting settings • Lunchroom • Offsites • Work spaces • Standups
- 25. And Leadership • Leadby example • Put the phone away during meetings • Provide time for conversation • Don’t send mixed messages
- 26. Geographically Dispersed Teams •Dispersed teams aren’t going away • But they present barriers to conversation • Overcoming requires creativity • Introduce personalities into calls • Get the team together occasionally • Use multiple communications channels
- 27. The Role ofChatOps • Intriguing technology for combining communications and action • Talk to team members • Exchange data and files • Execute scripts and perform other actions
- 28. Why Talk? • Yousolve problems more quickly • You address issues you never knew you had • You establish trust • You get practice
- 29. References • Reclaiming Conversation:The Power of Talk in the Digital Age, by Sherry Turkle • U.S. economy's biggest problem now: the smartphone • http://money.cnn.com/2016/08/23/news/economy/us- economy-low-productivity/index.html
- 30. Thank You Peter Varhol DynatraceLLC peter.varhol@Dynatrace.com