The Human Factor in DevOps: Because Even šŸ¤– Need Good Teammates (Almost)

A presentation at DevNexus in March 2025 in Atlanta, GA, USA by Jeremy Meiss

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The Human Factor DevOpsā€¦ šŸ¤– in Need Because Even Good Teammates (Almost) DevNexus 2025

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DevNexus 2025

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DevNexus 2025

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DevOps is more than toolsā€¦ Itā€™s about people DevNexus 2025

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Jeremy Meiss Director, DevEx & DevRel OneStream Software DevOpsDays KC Organizer DevNexus 2025

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evOps D in r to c a F n a m u H The It starts with peopleā€¦ DevNexus 2025

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evOps D in r to c a F n a m u H The Communication & Teamwork breakdowns DevNexus 2025

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Common Causes of Communication Breakdowns Conflicting Ideas and Poor Collaboration Barriers to Cross-Cultural and Linguistic Communication Ineffective Organizational Structures and Communication Processes Ambiguous Project Requirements and Technical Miscommunication DevNexus 2025

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Source: JPL, NASA ā€œThe ā€˜root causeā€™ of the loss of the spacecraft was the failed translation of English units into metric units in a segment of ground-based, navigation-related mission softwareā€¦ā€ Arthur Stephenson, chairman of the Mars Climate Orbiter Mission Failure Investigation Board DevNexus 2025

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Common Causes of Communication Breakdowns Conflicting Ideas and Poor Collaboration Barriers to Cross-Cultural and Linguistic Communication Ineffective Organizational Structures and Communication Processes Ambiguous Project Requirements and Technical Miscommunication Communication Skill Deficiencies and Overload DevNexus 2025

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Common Causes of Teamwork Breakdowns Lack of shared understanding and commitment Team size and dynamics DevNexus 2025

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The Ringlemann Effect Source: Wikipedia DevNexus 2025

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Common Causes of Teamwork Breakdowns Lack of shared understanding and commitment Team size and dynamics Lack of trust Insuffient resources Unclear goals and expectations DevNexus 2025

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Communication & Teamwork breakdowns? Improve the Human Factor. DevNexus 2025

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vOps e D in r to c a F n a m u Improving the H Fostering Open and Honest Communication DevNexus 2025

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Fostering Open and Honest Communication Establish Clear Communication Guidelines Appropriate communication channels Expected response times Meeting etiquette Concise and solution-oriented communication DevNexus 2025

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Fostering Open and Honest Communication Break Down Information Barriers Encourage Documentation Use Knowledge Sharing Platforms Promote Cross-Team Communication Simplify Technical Talk DevNexus 2025

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Fostering Open and Honest Communication Use the Right Tools Choose Tools that Meet Team Needs Integrate Tools for Seamless Workflow Provide Training and Support DevNexus 2025

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Fostering Open and Honest Communication Promote Critical Thinking Encourage Questioning and Analysis Provide Opportunities for Collaborative Problem-Solving Emphasize Continuous Improvement DevNexus 2025

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Fostering Open and Honest Communication Practice Open Communication and Active Listening Encourage Feedback and Open Dialogue Value Diverse Perspectives Provide Training on Active Listening Techniques Address Conflicts Constructively DevNexus 2025

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About Constructive Conflict Resolutionā€¦ Focus on Shared Goals Empathy and Perspective-Taking Collaborative Problem-Solving Mediation and Facilitation DevNexus 2025

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in The Human Factor DevOps Building a Culture of Value and Recognition Regular Appreciation Growth Opportunities Inclusive Environment Celebrate Successes DevNexus 2025

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evOps D in r to c a F n a m u H The Even DevNexus 2025 šŸ¤–ā€™s Can be a Good Teammate (Mostly)

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AIā€™s impact on teams DevNexus 2025

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AIā€™s impact on teams Positive Impacts Enhanced communication Automated scheduling and coordination Shared knowledge bases Improved collaboration and efficiency Data-driven decision-making and innovation DevNexus 2025

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AIā€™s impact on teams Negative Impacts Reduced casual interactions Over-reliance on technology Potential job displacement Bias and discrimination Distrust of AI DevNexus 2025

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ā€œā€¦even in a task where AI outperforms humans, the replacement of a human player by an automated videogame agent decreases team performance. While automation may improve performance in tasks suited to machine learning, we posit that their introduction presents a larger trade-off by disrupting these routines.ā€ Dellā€™Acqua, Fabrizio and Kogut, Bruce and Perkowski, Patryk (December 21, 2022). Super Mario Meets AI: Experimental Effects of Automation and Skills on Team Performance and Coordination. Review of Economics and Statistics, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3746564 DevNexus 2025

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Source: UNESCO DevNexus 2025

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Ethical considerations for AI in team communication Data privacy and security Transparency Fairness and bias Accountability Employee involvement DevNexus 2025

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DevNexus 2025

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The Human in DevOps Applying DevOps Principles to AI Collaboration: Break down silos, foster teamwork to ensure AI success. Automation: Streamline workflows by automating tasks to boost productivity. Continuous Improvement: Iteratively refine AI tools through constant monitoring & feedback. Feedback Loops: Gather & implement customer feedback to enhance user experience via AI. DevNexus 2025

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psā€¦ O v e D in n a m u H e h T Can also apply to your DevNexus 2025 šŸ¤– teammate

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@jerdog.dev /in/jeremymeiss Thank you! @jerdog @jerdog@hachyderm.io jmeiss.me @IAmJerdog DevNexus 2025

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END DevNexus 2025