DevOps tooling

How to simplify the introduction of the CD across business units? Read the case study about the DevOps tooling. Check needs, approach and results.

Introduction:   

ArdentCode partnered with Wolters Kluwer to simplify the introduction of the Continuous Deployment/Delivery approach across business units in the organization.​ 

Focus: 

• Increase the frequency of production deployments and lower the time to market
• Decrease the application project costs

Objective:  

Create a SaaS solution that supports Continuous Deployment of microservice-based applications available for all business units in the organization.​ 

Needs: 

1. Support AWS and Azure clouds
2. Support zero downtime release roll out/back (blue/green, canary deployment)
3. Allow developers to deploy and test their code in the feature branch environment
4. Provide UI and CLI interfaces
5. Let the application development team use the infrastructure with not need of deep knowledgeknowledge of AWS/Azure
6. Provide logging, monitoring, and alerting to support and troubleshoot the applications in production
7. Provide a solution to run automated tests (UI, API) to detect bugs before release promotion and to monitor the application availability

Approach: 

1. Build extendable architecture that allows to deploy to different Clouds
2. Follow the principle of “infrastructure as a code” to track any changes done to the application and roll them back if needed
3. Allow to define the single endpoint version using simple schema
4. Build API layer to be used by UI and CLI interfaces
5. Build a central mechanism to collect metrics and set up of alerts
6. Follow best practices and organization standards (HA, security, naming)
7. Build a service allowing the execution of automated tests at large scale
8. Build a service executing the automated tests on the new release deployments
9. Allow to set up synthetic tests monitoring with alerting

Results: 

1. Onboarded hundreds of products (VitalLaw is one of them, read previous case study here)
2. Products confirmed that the solution allowed them to:

• Deliver required changes more quickly.
• Make every code change (Pull Request, Merge Request) as a potential release candidate. 
• Rollback to the previous version on demand  
• Improved stability – Lower number of regression bugs. Higher confidence in the release quality. 
• Integrate the solution across all collaborating teams, enhancing collaboration and efficiency.

3. The support teams are using the synthetic monitoring solution to monitor the availability and performance of the application
4. The automated tests execution service allows the execution of a huge number of regression tests in minutes instead of hours.

Conclusion:

The partnership between ArdentCode and Wolters Kluwer resulted in a powerful SaaS solution that redefines deployment practices. By enabling seamless Continuous Deployment, the solution empowers teams to deliver high-quality applications faster, with improved reliability and reduced costs. Its cloud-agnostic capabilities, robust testing mechanisms, and comprehensive monitoring set a new standard for efficiency and collaboration across business units. This achievement underscores the transformative potential of well-designed, scalable infrastructure.

Sustainable team growth 

Concluding our series, this article is the final installment of a three-part series on building high-performance software development teams.

Achieving success is one thing; sustaining it is another. In this final installment, we’ll explore strategies for sustaining success and fostering growth within software development teams for a long-term success and continued innovation.

Nurturing talent

To achieve the growth and development of team members, companies need to invest in them. How? By providing opportunities for learning and advancement, mentorship programs and access to resources that foster professional growth. By nurturing talent from within, organizations cultivate a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. To prove the foregoing, at ArdentCode we have experts who have worked in the IT industry for over 15 years, which is meaningful, indeed.

Staying agile and adaptive

Today, agility is key. It is important to encourage a team to embrace change, adapt quickly to new technologies and market trends, as well as continuously iterate and improve their processes. By staying agile and adaptive, teams can respond swiftly to challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities.

Leading by example

Being a leader forces us to lead by example. What is also important is to present the values and principles not only on paper, but also in daily working with a team, fostering a culture of transparency, communication and collaboration, providing a role model to employees. At ArdentCode annual feedback and review is created not only for the team, but for the board members and leaders, too, because there is always an opportunity to make changes. 

In summary, sustaining success and fostering growth within software development teams requires a multifaceted approach that encompasses talent development, diversity and inclusion, agility, leadership and resilience. By implementing these strategies, organizations can build teams that do not only achieve success in the short term, but also thrive and innovate in the long run, ensuring continued growth and success in an ever-changing digital environment.

Our series on building high-performance software development teams has emphasized the essential components of strategic recruitment, continuous growth, shared vision and collaborative culture. These elements are the key to empowering teams to navigate challenges, foster innovation and attain remarkable outcomes. By prioritizing creativity, sustainability and long-term success, organizations can cultivate thriving software development teams ready to flourish in today’s ever-evolving digital realm.

Team innovation strategies

Continuing our exploration, this article is the second installment of a three-part series on building high-performance software development teams.

In this article, we’ll explore the pivotal role of creativity in software development teams and uncover strategies for igniting innovation and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

Creating a culture of innovation

A culture of innovation begins with leadership. It is important to cultivate an environment where experimentation is encouraged, failure is viewed as a learning opportunity and bold ideas are celebrated. By fostering a culture of psychological safety and autonomy, teams feel empowered to explore new possibilities and challenge the status quo. 

Fostering idea sharing 

Cross-functional collaboration brings together diverse perspectives and skill sets, fostering creativity and driving innovation. It also creates opportunities for encounters and sharing knowledge in order to spark new ideas and solutions. At ArdentCode we have a history of great solutions for our clients, thanks to our creative and out of the box thinking culture.

Providing resources and support

Teams need to be equipped with the resources and support they need to innovate effectively. We provide them with the access to modern tools and technologies, allocate time for experimentation and exploration and offer support and guidance from the leadership. By removing barriers to innovation, teams can focus on pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. At ArdentCode we take care of this area by organizing ArdentAcademy workshops, regularly reviewing the progress of the qualification and creating a space to produce our own solutions or apps. 

Celebrating successes and learning from failures

There are different styles of celebrating successes – official congratulations, team celebrations in the office or informal dinners with attractions, such as carting or bowling. At ArdentCode we celebrate in different styles, but always taking care of creating a moment to say “thank you” to people who are involved in projects. What is also important, failures are treated as an inevitable part of the innovation process. Furthermore, we believe they are an opportunity for growth and change. Via the encouragement to experiment and learn, we present harder moments as lessons needed to create future success.

In conclusion, fostering creativity and innovation within software development teams is essential for staying ahead in today’s fast-paced digital landscape. By creating a culture of innovation, providing resources and support, as well as celebrating successes while learning from failures, organizations can unlock the full potential of their teams and drive groundbreaking solutions. In the final installment, we’ll explore strategies for sustaining success and enhancing growth within software development teams for a long-term success.

Pillars and vision 

This article is the first of a three-part series on building high-performance software development teams.

Building strong teams 

Crafting a high-performance software development team isn’t just about assembling individuals; it’s about building units driven by shared goals and mutual respect. This article embarks on a journey to unveil the intricacies of team building in the tech domain.

Establishing the pillars:

A strong team starts with hiring the right people. Look for individuals who not only have technical skills but also embody our company’s values, such as adaptability, collaboration, and a passion for learning. These qualities, along with their expertise, lay the foundation for success. At ArdentCode we’re not afraid of spending as much time and effort as it takes to find people who will go beyond just their ability to code, having the right attitude and flexibility to fit the teams and help us pull them up to a new level.

Nurturing growth:

Thanks to training programs and mentorship, team members are motivated to expand their skill sets and stay abreast of industry trends. That’s why we organize workshops, training, courses within ArdentAcademy and offer employees individual budgets for learning outside the company.

Aligning vision:

Defining clear objectives and communication of the company’s mission and values is important to connect companies’ goals and team members’ satisfaction. When every person understands the role in the larger narrative, collaboration flourishes and collective efforts propel the organization towards its goals.

Fostering collaboration:

Open communication, trust and a feedback culture provide an opportunity to create a mature and effective work environment. Encouraging brainstorming, cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing is the key to harnessing the collective intelligence of the team. At ArdentCode, we have weekly meetings to share knowledge and information from the industry, as well as biweekly sharing of a list of links to interesting publications.

In conclusion, at ArdentCode, we see building a high-performance software development team as crafting a harmonious symphony. It requires strategic recruitment, ongoing growth, a united vision and a culture of collaboration. By nurturing these elements within our organization, we enable our teams to tackle challenges, foster innovation and achieve impressive outcomes. 

In our upcoming article, we’ll explore ways to inspire creativity and innovation within the team, sparking the ideas that lead to great solutions.

High-performance blended teams – how to start 

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Blended, which means? 

Let’s define what blended teams are. For “blended” does not simply mean a mixture of components, but a completely new combination. The term, taken from everyday language, captures well the idea of creating teams from at least two organizations. Thanks to the intermingling of experience, knowledge and skills, the competence of such a team becomes much higher. By interacting with each other, the resulting cooperation results in an unavailable “alone” result of solutions and increased competence^[1].  

Maturation

It is also not insignificant that blended teams, by interpenetrating each other, mature and create a completely new quality. Maturity in the context of technology teams means very high competence, calmness, and experience. And the realization that every difficulty can be solved over time. If only, to write completely new software or applications that respond to the needs specified in the project.

For performance appraisal to be implemented, it is necessary to develop a project foundation and process. At this stage, the permeation of experiences can determine the success of cooperation. By opening to ideas, comments, and suggestions from an external, experienced partner, the client can receive solutions that surpass initial assumptions. At the same time, the phase of findings, briefs and debriefs is – albeit somewhat time-consuming – needed to finalize what situation will be evaluated positively. A service provider with international, corporate experience – even on the scale of a few or a dozen people in a project – can shed light from a completely different perspective and influence the outcome. All this to support the client’s success and enrich its know-how.

Performance – communication or skills? 

The effectiveness of the cooperation can be assessed already during the collaboration, which is facilitated by feedback sessions and status meetings. A focus on partnership and mutual respect lay the groundwork for creating a situation in which the team joining the client feels a sense of responsibility for achieving the goals. This is a desirable situation, as productivity and commitment naturally increase when team members feel part of the overall project^[2].  

Summary

Recognizing that the groundwork for forming high-performance blended teams begins long before establishing a business relationship is essential to developing the concept. There is a huge difference, between body leasing, typically in simple service outsourcing, and developing team competencies internally. This can be achieved by inviting qualified, experienced, and committed professionals to join the team. This is the business model in which ArdentCode operates, basing cooperation with clients on the flow of knowledge and skills, taking care to secure know-how inside the clients’ structures.

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^[1] https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/beyond-hiring-how-companies-are-reskilling-to-address-talent-gaps [2023-11-18] 

^[2] https://your.yale.edu/we-know-teamwork-important-how-important [2023-11-27]