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Industrial DevOps

By Suzette Johnson, Robin Yeman

Build Better Systems Faster

EBook Available Now On:

Audiobook Available Now On:

Coming in October 2023!

Applying the theory, practice, and learnings from Agile and DevOps as it has been applied in the software community, has the potential to dramatically improve the development and delivery of cyber-physical systems. Companies that solve this problem will increase transparency, reduce cycle time, increase value for money, and innovate faster. Simply, they will build better systems faster, and they will become the ultimate economic and value delivery winners in the marketplace.

  • Publication Date October 3, 2023
  • Pages 320 (tentative)
  • Dimensions 6 x 9 inches
  • Paperback ISBN 9781950508792
  • eBook ISBN 9781950508808
  • Audiobook ISBN 9781950508822

Features

  • Expert Authors

    Decades of experience and five guidance papers led to the development of this book.

  • Implementable

    A practical guide for both software and technical engineers.

  • 9 Key Principles

    Develop these new ways of working into your cyber-physical systems.

  • New Application

    Bring the benefits of Lean, Agile, and DevOps into the cyber-physical domain.

About the Book

The benefits of adopting agile ways of working are well-understood in the digital world. But those in cyber-physical systems (combining software, hardware, and firmware) think it is risky. But with today’s speed of change, maybe the risk is in not changing.

Industrial DevOps: Build Better Systems Faster shows readers how applying Agile and DevOps ways of working into cyber-physical systems presents the opportunity to reap huge rewards, including increased adaptability, shorter delivery schedules, reduced development cost, increased quality, and higher transparency into delivery.

This book shows you how to couple the results of Agile and DevOps implementation in development with Lean and Agile in manufacturing. Through a successful application of 9 key principles, Industrial DevOps provides the foundational success patterns for the development of cyber-physical systems in the digital age. The benefits that have been obtained across industries can be transferred to the cyber-physical domain and they have the potential to provide an even greater impact in the delivery of products.

Suzette Johnson
Robin Yeman
Suzette Johnson

Suzette Johnson

I have spent most of my career in the aerospace defense industry working for Northrop Grumman Corporation, a global aerospace, defense, and security company. My initial experience with Agile-related practices began in the 1990s with product development for an innovative and cutting-edge technology startup company during the emergence of the dot-com era. This early experience gave me an understanding of the importance of quick delivery times to meet customers’ needs. On-time delivery was paramount for success and ROI for the company. This experience played a critical role for me when I changed industries and moved into aerospace and defense. In my role in aerospace and defense, I was the enterprise Lean/Agile transformation lead (overseeing more than ninety thousand employees, domestic and international). In this role, I launched the Northrop Grumman Agile Community of Practice, with over ten thousand members, and the Lean/Agile Center of Excellence, which provides resources and guidance to leadership and teams. I have supported over a hundred enterprise, government, and DoD transitions to and the maturation of Lean-Agile principles and engineering development practices. I have trained and coached over four thousand individuals on Lean/Agile principles and practices and delivered more than one hundred presentations on Lean/Agile at conferences both nationally and abroad. My current role is as Northrop Grumman Fellow and Technical Fellow Emeritus, where I continue to actively drive the adoption of Lean/Agile principles with leadership at the portfolio levels and within cyber-physical solutions, specifically within the space sector. As a mentor, coach, and leader, I launched the Women in Computing, Johns Hopkins University Chapter; the Women in Leadership Development program; the Northrop Grumman Lean-Agile Center of Excellence; and the NDIA ADAPT (Agile Delivery for Agencies, Programs, and Teams) working group. I received a Doctorate of Management at the University of Maryland with a dissertation focused on investigating the impact of leadership styles on software project outcomes in traditional and Agile engineering environments. I am also a Certified Agile Enterprise Coach and Scaled Agile Program Consultant/SPCT

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Robin Yeman

Robin Yeman

I spent twenty-six years working at Lockheed Martin in various roles leading up to senior technical fellow building large systems including everything from submarines to satellites. I lead the Agile community of practice supporting a workforce of 120,000 people. My initial experience with Lean practices began in the late ’90s. In 2002, I had the opportunity to lead my first Agile program with multiple Scrum teams. After I had a couple months of experience, I was hooked and never turned back. I both led and supported Agile transformations for intelligence, federal, and Department of Defense organizations over the next two decades, and each one was more exciting and challenging than the last. In 2012, I had the opportunity to extend our Agile practices into DevOps, which added extensive automation and tightened our feedback loops, providing even larger results. Currently, I am consulting for a range of Fortune 500 companies in highly regulated environments, enabling them to achieve the same results we experienced at Lockheed Martin. I engage in everything from automotive, pharmaceuticals, and energy to reimagining legacy to modern solutions using all of the tools in my toolbox, including Agile, DevOps, Lean, digital engineering, systems theory, design thinking, and more. My goal is to make a positive impact for those around me. I am and always will be a continuous learner. My education includes a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University in Computer Information Systems and a master’s degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Software Engineering, and I’m currently pursuing a PhD in Systems Engineering at Colorado State University, where I am working on my contribution to demonstrate empirical data of the benefits of implementing Agile and DevOps for safety-critical cyber-physical systems.

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"Industry DevOps: Build Better Systems Faster unveils the hidden strategies behind the remarkable success of the world’s top-performing companies. Dr. Suzette Johnson and Robin Yeman have masterfully crafted a comprehensive and actionable guide, empowering organizations to establish teams and capabilities that surpass the competition in both insight and agility. Whether you’re involved in creating cutting-edge consumer technology gadgets or developing crucial military capabilities, this book is an essential addition to your must-read list."

Kyle Fox

SOSi CTO

"Applying established DevOps processes and practices to cyber-physical systems can present significant challenges or limited practices. I am thrilled to see that the Industrial DevOps book not only recognizes these challenges but also provides actionable guidance based on well-practiced approaches to overcome them."

Hasan Yasar

Technical Director & Teaching Professor, Carnegie Mellon University

"This book is a great reminder that inspiration can come from anywhere. I have not been in a role where I've needed to understand Industrial DevOps, but what I learned from this book is that I can apply the principles regardless. Don’t miss the opportunity to be inspired and learn from two of the top industry leaders in applying these principles at scale in complex environments."

Courtney Kissler

SVP Customer & Retail Technology at Starbucks

"Industrial DevOps is an important book and topic for anyone helping steer their cyber-physical organization into the age of Digital Engineering. Using in-depth case studies and sweat-equity observations from years of relevant product development, this duo of top-level engineers helps your organization become both agile and speedy. A sloth is agile, but it can’t outrun spilled molasses. An owl is speedy, but it can’t dodge a mobbing chickadee. Yeman and Johnson help you avoid being a sloth or an owl, and instead, help you be a cheetah—highly agile and highly speedy. Their experience-garnered insights will help you dispel the buzzwords and learn to develop organizational skills in resiliency, that ideally-sought combination of agility and speed (not to mention intelligence and adaptability). Don’t be overwhelmed by the rate of change in the broad domain of digital engineering—instead, garner key insights, strategies, and tactics for marshaling this change to propel your engineering, and engineering teams, forward."

Dr. Steve Simske

Systems and Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University

"Crashing through the myth that ‘agile is only for software,’ Industrial DevOps: Build Better Systems Faster distills decades of agile practices into a functional model, arranging real-world examples into forward-facing guidance for the development of cyber-physical systems. A welcome contribution to growth mindsets everywhere."

Braxton Cook

Aerospace Professional

"Agile practices evolve fastest when they are based on a stable and timeless foundation. In this book, Suzette Johnson and Robin Yeman present the foundation needed for organizations to adopt—and evolve—Industrial DevOps in a way that helps them realize greater business agility."

Luke Hohmann

coauthor Software Profit StreamsTM, SAFe Fellow

"Industrial DevOps: Build Better Systems Faster clearly articulates what businesses must do to revolutionize the way they work and stay relevant in the digital age and beyond. The book is brilliantly laid out, explaining why change is necessary, identifying key principles and concepts to consider when implementing change, and pulling it all together using real-world examples. It is a must-read for all Lean-Agile professionals. "

Gabriela Coe

Northrop Grumman Fellow

"Dr. Suzette Johnson and Robin Yeman have pushed the agile and DevOps envelope with this wonderful book. Industrial DevOps is a compelling guide for those interested in DevOps at scale—not only applied to cyber-physical systems but to any large, complex ecosystem. If you’re looking for a clear handbook with practical advice backed up by time-honored principles, this is a must-read. "

Sanjiv Augustine

Founder and CEO of LitheSpeed and the Agile Leadership Academy

"Suzette and Robin offer a fresh perspective on the agile approach to project planning and management that extends to all types of industrial products using examples across a wide breadth of fascinating products beyond software. If you are leading or managing complex projects or even just a working member of a complex product team, this book is definitely worth a read. You are certain to gain insights and ideas that will push your agile up another notch."

Nathan G. Christensen

Sr. Manager, Engineering and Scientific Methods, Northrop Grumman Space Systems

"Industrial DevOps brings what has been learned in the past to address the problems of the future. It integrates proven and emerging technologies into an actionable playbook for developing and delivering cyberphysical systems. As an ‘engineer turned transformation leader,’ this book is the holy grail, as it connects all the dots—a true enabler for accelerating innovation in a critical domain. I highly recommend it for anyone involved in the development of cyberphysical systems."

Kelli Houston

Transformation Leader, Lockheed Martin Associate Fellow

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