October 2018 - DevOps is the practice of unifying software development and software operations, with the goal of improved speed and efficiency in application delivery.

After a breakout year in 2017, most carriers are now engaged in DevOps pilot and rollout activities. Recent Novarica research suggests that 91% of carriers have some form of initiative underway.

This brief is based on research conducted with the industry’s early adopters in mid-2018. Most have observed efficiency gains due to their DevOps rollout—one was confident that his group would see 25% improvement in development speed. In most cases, however, rollout was slower and more complex than expected, with many carriers encountering barriers related to technology, skill sets, governance, and culture.

This Executive Brief provides an introduction to DevOps and explores carrier motivation and adoption strategies as well as barriers encountered and lessons learned.