Chief Technology Officer at CircleCI, a software delivery engine for teams who want to ship software faster and with confidence.
It’s no secret that the software industry is undergoing a massive transformation driven by two powerful undercurrents. First, elevated interest rates have curtailed investment in the tech sector, leaving teams feeling the pressure of smaller headcounts and a heightened focus on efficiency and productivity. Second, generative AI's emergence and widespread adoption have unlocked new tools and revenue streams, infusing the industry with a renewed sense of optimism and opportunity.
As CTOs and engineering leaders, our influence transcends the direct management of technology. We shape our engineering teams' culture, capabilities and strategic direction, which means we need to understand how to remain competitive in our relative markets. The 2024 State of Software Delivery report continues to prove that software teams who track and meet certain benchmarks, as outlined in my previous Forbes article, ultimately experience more success.
Understanding and striving toward these benchmarks can significantly enhance your organizational impact. However, achieving high-performance benchmarks is no small feat. It requires dedication, strategic planning and overcoming numerous challenges. But it’s not impossible, and there are recommended engineering practices that can help you and your team achieve success.
Strike the speed and efficiency balance.
Elite teams distinguish themselves through the ability to deploy updates multiple times a day (if not hundreds). This rapid deployment capability allows quick adaptation to user feedback and market changes. Achieving this requires a fundamental shift in how teams approach software development and operations. It sounds great—who wouldn’t want to operate with this agility? Well, because it’s hard. Many organizations struggle with legacy systems that aren't designed for rapid iteration. Or they face cultural resistance to frequent change (e.g., there’s no efficient process for managing sources of change).
To strike the speed and efficiency balance, try integrating automated deployment tools and training teams on agile DevOps methodologies like observability and CI/CD. Specifically, find tools that let you feature flag or rollback releases should things go awry. The ability to confidently push incremental changes makes deploying less scary, leading to significant improvements over time. Encourage a shift in mindset by highlighting the long-term benefits of rapid deployment, such as increased competitiveness and faster customer feedback loops.
Emphasize a robust CI/CD framework.
A well-oiled CI/CD pipeline is crucial for speeding up deployments and ensuring high-quality outputs through consistent, automated testing. However, building and maintaining an efficient and reliable pipeline can be technically complex and resource-intensive. Therefore, don’t look for a one-size-fits-all platform; adopt a high-quality CI/CD tool, or better yet, partner with a dedicated support team that's scalable and integrates well with your existing tech stack. Offer continuous training and workshops to keep your team updated on best practices. In short, let the vendor do the heavy lifting so your team gets immediate value while adopting a new tool and workflow.
Foster a culture of immediate feedback.
Immediate feedback mechanisms are vital for continuous improvement, allowing developers to identify and rectify issues quickly. That said, implementing effective feedback mechanisms can be challenging due to inadequate tooling or a lack of processes that support them. To overcome this, automate as much of the feedback process as possible, from code quality checks to performance metrics. Establish a culture where feedback is seen as constructive and essential for growth. Regularly review feedback processes to ensure they remain relevant and effective.
Invest in future-ready technologies.
Staying competitive requires forward-thinking investments in technology that enhance scalability, security and development efficiency. The fast pace of technological advancement can make it difficult to choose the right technologies and keep up with training needs. It’s crucial to closely monitor industry trends and adapt your technology stack as necessary while ensuring you’re not falling prey to the “new shiny” syndrome. Prioritize technologies that offer clear benefits, integrated support and the flexibility to fit your needs. Provide ongoing education and opportunities for your team to experiment with new technologies. Most importantly, if something isn’t working, scrap it and move on.
Develop data-driven decision-making capabilities.
Data-driven decision-making ensures that strategic decisions are grounded in factual analysis rather than intuition (it’s still good to have both). Collecting, analyzing and effectively using large amounts of data can be daunting. Develop a robust data analytics framework that collects data across various points in your development and operational processes. Use this data to generate insights that drive process improvements. Train your team to interpret and use data effectively in their daily work.
As technology leaders, our vision for technology must be accompanied by strategic leadership in developing our engineering teams. By understanding the practices of elite teams and systematically working to follow them, we can transform our teams into industry leaders. Let’s lead by example and set our teams on a path to exceptional achievement in software delivery.