Download the 2019 DORA Report
The report emphasizes the importance of continuous delivery (CD) as a key technical practice that reduces the risk and cost of software releases. It also highlights the need for clear change management processes, recommending a shift from formal heavyweight change approvals to peer review-based approval during the development process, complemented by automation to detect, prevent, and correct potential issues early in the delivery lifecycle. Lastly, the report finds that a culture of psychological safety, trust, and respect positively contributes to both productivity and SDO performance.
Key findings include:
- Elite performers excel: Excellence in software delivery and organizational performance is achievable through adopting key capabilities.
- Speed and stability go hand-in-hand: High performers achieve both speed and stability in software delivery, refuting the notion that there’s an inherent trade-off between the two.
- Cloud computing is a differentiator: Elite performance is closely linked to effective cloud adoption, with elite performers 24 times more likely to utilize all five essential cloud computing capabilities.
- Invest in productivity: Organizations can improve productivity by investing in tooling, facilitating information search, reducing technical debt, and fostering a culture of psychological safety. This in turn leads to improvements in work/life balance and reductions in burnout.
- Structure DevOps around communities: Scaling DevOps effectively involves building community structures, with high-performing organizations favoring strategies like Communities of Practice and Grassroots movements.
- Embrace continuous delivery: Continuous delivery remains a key technical practice that reduces risk and cost while improving software delivery performance.
- Shift left on change approvals: Organizations should move away from heavyweight external change approval processes and embrace “shift left” peer review-based approvals during the development process, supported by automation to identify and resolve issues earlier.