What this book covers
Chapter 1, The Banking Context and DevOps Value Proposition, provides an introduction to the main actor of the book, which is an incumbent bank. Its external and internal contexts in relation to DevOps are discussed in depth. In this chapter, we also provide our DevOps definition and the banking value proposition. Two important elements of the book are also introduced: relevance and 360°.
Chapter 2, The DevOps Multi-Speed Context, Vision, Objectives, and Change Nature, presents the concept of multi-speed in banking, with examples. The importance of understanding the DevOps context will also be discussed with representative examples from incumbents. Afterward, we will discuss how DevOps is linked to the enterprise vision and strategic corporate and technological objectives, and how enterprise DevOps OKRs can be created. We will also outline elements of the nature of DevOps change.
Chapter 3, The 360° DevOps Operating Model Pillars and Governance Model, proposes a governance model for defining the 360° operating model and its enablement and launch mechanisms. Governance bodies such as vision and design authorities as well as workstreams will be defined and their roles discussed in detail. The governing dynamics of those bodies will be discussed based on the influence that they can have on the DevOps evolution. Closing the chapter, we will focus on three industry use cases that will reveal how organizational structures can potentially influence the DevOps evolution.
Chapter 4, Enterprise Architecture and the DevOps Center of Excellence, discusses the vital role of enterprise architecture, anchored to banking business domains and critical flows, as well as modernization strategies and reference architectures. The various roles that the DevOps CoE can have in the evolution along with potential operating and service models will be outlined. At the end of the chapter, we will provide four use cases of incumbent banks that have deployed DevOps CoEs in different ways.
Chapter 5, Business Enterprise Agility and DevOps Ways of Working Reconciliation, analyzes the relation of DevOps with Enterprise Agility overall and their points of reconciliation. We will deep dive and discuss how DevOps can be reconciled in an agnostic way with business enterprise agility models. The business enterprise agility models we will use are basic agile, the Spotify model, value streams, and the Scaled Agile Framework, as they have been adopted by several incumbents. In the second part of the chapter, a proven and detailed technique will be provided on how to design the DevOps organizing principles at relevance in your agile DevOps teams. Several complementary recommendations are embedded in the technique.
Chapter 6, DevOps Software Development Life Cycle 360° Evolution and Engineering, focuses on defining the heart of the DevOps model, which is the engineered and evolved software development life cycle. We will start by analyzing the SDLC anatomy in terms of phases, frameworks, and capabilities. A technique of collecting and consolidating capabilities will be presented, along with how to engage the relevant stakeholder and eventually, through value stream mapping and flows, define the future way of designing, building, deploying, and running software. This chapter will provide a proven step-by-step technique to define your future SDLC.
Chapter 7, The DevOps 360° Technological Ecosystem as a Service, focuses on the main parts of the technological ecosystem that will contribute to the adoption. We will discuss the relationship between DevOps and technology and make a case for technology standardization. The main focus in the chapter will be the DevOps platform teams, which we will cover from an operating and service model perspective. Special reference will be made to specific platform teams that incumbents establish.
Chapter 8, 360° Regulatory Compliance as Code, discusses the regulatory environment around DevOps, taking a globally systemically important bank’s point of view. The compliance value proposition for DevOps will be discussed through four real industry stories. These four stories will serve as a justification for the book’s argument that compliance is a DevOps enabler and vice versa. Special focus will be placed on discussing the topics of DevOps controls and segregation/separation of duties. We will also provide several tips in the chapter on how to manage the relationship with your regulator.
Chapter 9, The DevOps Portfolio Classification and Governance, discusses methods to classify your DevOps portfolio based on criticality and impact and technology and architecture. We will also examine how speeds are shaped based on those categories and how concepts such as licenses to continuously deliver can help certain parts of your portfolio to move faster. In the second part of the chapter, we will discuss important aspects of portfolio governance, placing special focus on application DevOps attributes and the mechanism of the production readiness assessment.
Chapter 10, Tactical and Organic Enterprise Portfolio Planning and Adoption, discusses how the adoption will be embedded in the enterprise’s annual and quarterly portfolio planning, from the corporate strategy to the Enterprise DevOps OKRs, to initiatives, epics, and stories in the backlogs of the enablement and adoption teams. Special reference will be made to the concepts of tactical and organic adoption, which must be balanced. A core part of the book that is included in this chapter is the concept of DevOps minimum viable adoption.
Chapter 11, Benefit Measurement and Realization, focuses on recommendations for how to measure and realize the benefits of the evolution. We will introduce the concepts of key performance targets and metrics and why it is important to distinguish the two. Afterward, we will provide practical recommendations on how to define your KPTs and metrics, providing some practical inspiration. The rest of the chapter will be full of advice that you can consider during the process.
Chapter 12, People Hiring, Incubation, and Mobility, focuses on DevOps hiring, incubation, and mobility. The initial focus will be on the importance of Π-shaped DevOps professionals. Key aspects to consider in your hiring strategy will be outlined by real lessons learned. Moving to incubation, we will discuss several recommendations on how to make it more effective. We will close the chapter by making a case for people mobility.
Chapter 13, Site Reliability Engineering in the FSI, starts by defining SRE and relating it to DevOps. Afterward, we will outline the fundamental SRE responsibilities as we propose them to be defined based on real industry experiences. We will make several at relevance recommendations focusing on SRE eligibility, engagement models, and reconciliation with ITIL. Closing the chapter, we will outline four industry use cases on how different incumbents have adopted SRE.
Chapter 14, 360° Recap, Staying Relevant, and Final Remarks, recaps the core DevOps operating model aspects, focusing on the relevant elements that we highlighted in each chapter. Some final concluding remarks will be provided.
