We all know how easy it is to get frustrated and (mis)judge each other within our workplaces. Whether you’re DevOps or Management, this might be a familiar conversation:
Management: Can you install this plug-in onto the website? (I’ve no idea what a plug-in is, but my mate said they’re good)
DevOps: Err, sure. Which website? (Of the 37 websites that this company owns?)
Management: You know, the main one. (Jeez, how many are there?)
DevOps: OK you mean www.example.com. No problem, where did the plug-in come from? (Dare I ask?)
Management: I downloaded it. (Aren’t you supposed to know where these things come from?)
DevOps: … (GREAT!)
Management: It’s OK. A friend of mine said it was safe.
DevOps: … (EVEN BETTER!)
Management: So once it is installed can you put it on all the pages?
DevOps: OK, it might be best if I just to make sure it isn’t going to affect anything else and is safe to run. (Hey, and why don’t we just invite the hackers in?)
Which version of the plug-in do we need?
Management: That is your job. (Are you being deliberately stupid?)
DevOps: Fair enough, so what exactly did you want it for?
Management: Not sure, but I was told it would help with our SEO. (I’ve no idea what SEO means).
DevOps: … (I bet he doesn’t know what SEO means).
Management: Can we have an ETA on getting that done? (Because you’re SO busy. I’ve seen “The IT Crowd”).
DevOps: Leave it with me. Is this a high priority? (Betting he won’t even remember this by tomorrow).
Management: Yes please.
2 weeks later……
DevOps: Well it took me some time, but I have managed to get the plug-in running. There were some security issues that I patched and we had to pull the site into staging to do a system update, and then push back into production. Each page needed some basic settings and the documentation was sparse, but it seems to be working.
Management: Sorry, what are you taking about? (What I just heard: “blah blah blah blah plug-in security blah issue blah”)
DevOps: You know, the plugin you wanted for the website? (Yep. Knew he’d forget.)
Management: … (“blah plug-in blah website”)
DevOps: The one your friend told you about?
Management: … (??? Blah)
DevOps: The main www website, the SEO plug-in? (The one I’ve just spent 2 days fighting with to get working.)
Management: … (Nope. Still no idea)
DevOps: The one you downloaded?
Management: Oh right…. Ummmmm….. Yep… Thanks.
Moral of the story..
It’s not always easy to appreciate where our colleagues are coming from. DevOps aren’t (always)condescending know-it-alls who try to make things seem more complicated than they are. They may seem to be attempting to dazzle you with their knowledge of nonsense acronyms, but actually sometimes hosting and maintaining a website can be more complex and involved that it appears.
And management aren’t always opinionated leather-armchair loungers who are trying to tell you how to do your job.