Your dev team and ops are clashing over system changes. How do you mediate the conflict?
When your development and operations teams clash over system changes, it's crucial to step in and mediate the conflict effectively. Here's how you can bring harmony to your teams:
What strategies have worked for you in mediating team conflicts? Share your thoughts.
Your dev team and ops are clashing over system changes. How do you mediate the conflict?
When your development and operations teams clash over system changes, it's crucial to step in and mediate the conflict effectively. Here's how you can bring harmony to your teams:
What strategies have worked for you in mediating team conflicts? Share your thoughts.
-
making clear the division of roles and responsibilities, the product team should be involved in key decisions to ensure effective decision-making, their role is to define what features need to be developed, The development teams decide how to develop it, and The operations teams focus on fitting the best way to deploy the new change/feature. The product team should provide the strategic direction, If this issue is too technical for the product team, operation and R&D managers should revisit our customer and organizational needs to determine the most suitable approach. To address ongoing internal disagreements, I suggest involving HR to facilitate improved collaboration within the team, not just for this specific case.
-
Passe todas as funções e responsabilidades do time de dev, as mudanças esperada do sistema devem ser mediadas de forma clara para todos. Devemos ouvir todos os lados envolvidos no processo e decidir de uma forma que não prejudique as operações e forneca os resultados esperados. Realizar uma análise de causa raiz para evitar mais conflitos entre as equipes.
-
I used to be in that situation many times; I did the following: 1. Try to search for the shared goal and establish a ground point. 2. Identify the root cause of the conflict and set priorities. 3. Implement RCSA to these changes. 4. Assess the residual risk from both points of view. 5. Set risk appetite, risk acceptance, and key risk indicators for monitoring.
-
One thing I've always found useful is to understand where both sides are coming from. The developers might want to push or change something that is deemed too risky or a big change that would change how the ops workflow operates, requiring possible training. In a situation such as this it is important for both sides to have an understanding of the concerns from the other side. The developers need to be aware of how the changes could possibly disrupt the ops workflow and ops need to be aware that the changes are necessary for the system. In the end it all comes down both sides making some compromises and not having one of the sides trying to "win" the argument and having it their way.
-
Many times clashes between teams can escalate into finger-pointing during incidents or failures. Open communication channels promote a culture of problem-solving rather than blame. Teams can focus on root causes and lessons learned instead of assigning fault. This create a great blameless culture among the teams which will definitely increase team productivity and results.
-
1. Understand Both Sides Listen Actively: Sit down with each team separately to understand their concerns, motivations, and perspectives. Identify Common Goals: Find the shared objectives. Both teams likely want the system to work efficiently and meet business needs. 2. Facilitate Open Communication Joint Meetings: Bring both teams together in a neutral setting to discuss their views. Clarify Misunderstandings: Address any misconceptions head-on. Miscommunication often fuels conflicts. 3. Promote Collaboration Cross-functional Teams: Create mixed teams for specific projects. This helps build mutual respect and understanding. Shared Responsibility: Assign joint ownership of projects to foster a sense of collective accountability.
-
Mediating conflicts between development (Dev) and operations (Ops) teams over system changes requires a balanced approach that fosters collaboration, mutual understanding, and shared accountability.
-
Well from the 16 answers that are already posted I really can't add anything else. In real easy terms listen to either team and research who is right and who is wrong. Take charge and tell them this is what WILL be done. Otherwise you will be getting a pink slip. Plain and simple...
-
Try to explain the roles and responsibilities of the operations and development team. Mediate with the knowledge about the expected system change and what has been done by the dev team. Hear the story from both the sides and decide on so that the decision does not hamper the business operations and deliver the desired results. Conclude with clear understanding of the road ahead with discrete roles for the respective teams. Perform a root cause analysis to avoid further clashes between the teams.
-
Gathering all the team, find the main problem, discuss & give them task, the dev team do the task, the ops team do the task, I'll be the bridge to combine and watch them doing it
Rate this article
More relevant reading
-
Cross-functional Team LeadershipWhat's the secret to keeping your cross-functional team aligned?
-
Cross-functional CollaborationsHow do you align cross-functional team goals and roles with the organizational strategy and vision?
-
LeadershipWhat are the best techniques for building consensus during a facilitated session?
-
Media ProductionHere's how you can navigate conflicts with colleagues in a media production team.