The Value of Continuous Delivery
Continuous delivery - many associate it with the frequency of releases, yet the true value lies in the opportunities it creates.
Continuous delivery goes beyond the number of releases per day. Instead, it emphasizes the ability to work in small, manageable batches efficiently.
"The goal for continuous delivery is to make it safe and economic to work in small batches."
Embracing Smaller Deliverables
Continuous delivery encourages the practice of delivering smaller units of work. This approach reduces the complexity of development, as there are fewer places for mistakes to occur.
Reducing Lead Time
Shortening lead time is another significant benefit of continuous delivery. When you can deliver changes faster, you reduce the time it takes for new features or improvements to reach your users.
Cost-Effective Testing
With smaller deliverables, testing becomes more cost-effective. Testing product hypotheses becomes cheaper, enabling teams to conduct more experiments without breaking the budget.
Accelerated Learning
Faster experimentation and testing lead to accelerated learning about customers and their needs. This invaluable insight empowers teams to make informed decisions and iterate on their products more rapidly.
Delivering More Value
Ultimately, the core objective of continuous delivery is to provide more value to customers. By delivering changes or improvements quickly, safely, and sustainably, organizations can meet customer demands and expectations more effectively.
Delivery Frequency vs. Capability
It's essential to distinguish between delivery frequency and delivery capability. Continuous delivery is not about being locked into a specific number of daily releases. Instead, it's about having the capability to choose your release frequency based on business needs and customer requirements.
Continuous delivery is a strategic approach that enables organizations to deliver change and value to customers in a way that is safe, efficient, and sustainable. It's not just about releasing more frequently; it's about having the flexibility and capability to adapt to changing circumstances and customer demands.
Ultimately, continuous delivery leads to higher quality products, shorter lead times, cost-effective testing, accelerated learning, and delivering more value in a shorter time frame.
