Digital transformation has become part of the “word soup” of corporate culture. With the broad adoption of Agile, most organizations equate their digital transformation to a corporate-wide culture change toward lean thinking. One thing is clear, “digital transformation” without the ability to adapt and transform as markets dictate will lead us right back to where we started.
As the culture of an organization changes to support lean practices and a mindset of continuous improvement, the development team must be armed with the right tools to respond rapidly. We’ve discussed how delivery is the moment your team creates value. With that in mind, we should be choosing technologies that support lean thinking.
#1 Adapt, Adapt, Adapt
Adaptation is one of the key tenets of any digital transformation. Constant iterative feedback is necessary to identify what changes yield the most value. Serverless computing is built on an event model that employs the concept of loose coupling:
Loose coupling is an approach to interconnecting the components in a system or network so that those components, also called elements, depend on each other to the least extent practicable… The goal of a loose coupling architecture is to reduce the risk that a change made within one element will create unanticipated changes within other elements.
TechTarget
This loose coupling simplifies the extension and adaptation of the system. Events can trigger new behaviors without the need to modify existing components. This helps us to adapt quickly while simultaneously reducing the risk of experimentation.
You want to analyze new orders in real-time as they come in from customers to determine whether a regional promotion is effective? No problem, trigger an event that executes a new function. You want to try an alternative flow of execution to test performance metrics? Easy, trigger a secondary event that has no bearing on the primary execution flow.
#2 Eliminate Waste
Software products require hardware for execution. This hardware hosts databases, servers, security, and many other potential services. Is hardware your differentiator? Unless your company is a cloud provider, I doubt it. Managing this hardware along with the services being hosted is expensive and time-consuming. Serverless computing eliminates the need to manage or provision hardware altogether. The development team remains focused on code.
Additionally, when you manage hardware directly or virtually, you are paying for it whether it’s being utilized or not. This is especially costly when a project is in its infancy. Startups can quickly eat up budget that could be spent on developers. Serverless computing allows you to only pay for what you use. You lease a function for the length of time it’s operating. If utilization is low, you may not pay a thing.
#3 Continuously Deliver
Cloud platforms enable development teams to combine Serverless Computing with infrastructure as code (IaC) services and build pipelines. Developers can have their code changes deployed from their machine to production in moments, all without the support of an infrastructure team.
Cloud environments allow you to spin up infrastructure at the click of a button, setting up your entire infrastructure stack in an instant. Unless you’re building something completely novel, a cloud provider will have a service to support your needs.
Why I Spend More on Coffee Than Devops by Jacob Orshalick
If you want to learn more about how to achieve this with your cloud platform of choice, you can read Why I Spend More on Coffee Than DevOps.
#4 Transition over Time
Your organization’s digital transformation is a strategy that takes time to implement. Similarly, your transition to Serverless computing doesn’t have to be a wholesale migration, it’s not all or nothing. You can reap the benefits of Serverless computing by carving off new features or concepts to be built with the technology. Start small and as the team gains experience and knowledge, your usage can expand. This approach is effective for the use of any new technology and marries well with an overall digital transformation strategy.
Digital transformation is a process. It requires cultural change and instilling a mindset of continuous improvement within your organization. While technology won’t be the deciding factor in your organization’s ability to transform, it does play a crucial role. Serverless Computing can be the difference your organization needs.
Learn more:
- If you want to learn how highly successful teams optimize delivery, read Delivery is the Moment your Team Creates Value.
- If you want to learn why automating your environment setup is important, read Why I Spend More on Coffee Than DevOps.
- If you’re trying to decide if your organization needs a technology change, read 6 Symptoms your Technology Stack is Holding you Back.
Are you thinking about transitioning to Serverless computing? We can help! Schedule a free consultation to find out more.