Skip to main content
Version: 2.0

Automation Culture

For two decades, I’ve watched engineering teams chase the promise of automation. Initially, it was about scripting repetitive tasks – deployments, server provisioning, basic testing. But I've consistently seen teams do automation, and fall short of truly having an automation culture. There's a crucial difference, and it's the difference between incremental efficiency gains and unlocking significant velocity and resilience.

I recently witnessed a team spend weeks crafting a complex deployment script. It worked flawlessly… for a month. Then a new service was added, a configuration change was needed, and suddenly the script broke, and that same engineer was the only one who could fix it. This isn’t automation; it’s specialized work masquerading as efficiency.

This isn’t just about tooling. It's about mindset, investment, and a willingness to fundamentally rethink how we work. Let’s dive into how to move beyond simply doing automation, to cultivating a genuine automation culture within your engineering teams.

The Automation Mirage: Why Scripts Aren't Enough​

We often equate automation with writing scripts. And that’s a great starting point. But too often, those scripts become fragile, undocumented, and maintained by a single, often overworked, engineer. They’re treated as "special" work, separate from core development. This leads to:

  • Technical Debt: Automated processes that are poorly maintained accumulate technical debt just like any other code.
  • Bus Factor: Reliance on a single person to maintain critical automation introduces a significant risk.
  • Limited Scalability: One-off scripts don’t easily adapt to changing requirements or growing teams.
  • Resistance to Change: When automation feels brittle, teams become hesitant to modify or extend it.

I’ve seen this happen countless times. A brilliant engineer spends weeks building a complex deployment script. It works flawlessly… for a month. Then a new service is added, a configuration change is needed, and suddenly the script breaks, and that engineer is the only one who knows how to fix it. This isn’t automation; it’s specialized work masquerading as efficiency.

The Pillars of a True Automation Culture​

So, how do you build a culture where automation isn't a side project, but an ingrained part of the engineering DNA? Here are the key pillars:

1. Democratization of Automation:

This is paramount. Automation shouldn't reside within a single "automation team." Equip all engineers with the tools and knowledge to automate their own tasks. This doesn't mean everyone needs to become a scripting expert, but they should be comfortable with:

  • Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Tools like Terraform or Pulumi – industry-standard solutions – empower engineers to define and manage infrastructure through code, promoting consistency and repeatability.
  • Configuration Management: Tools like Ansible or Chef automate server configuration, ensuring consistent environments across development, testing, and production.
  • Self-Service Pipelines: CI/CD pipelines should be easy to use and accessible to all engineers, enabling them to deploy code with confidence.

2. Investing in Automation as Feature Work:

Treat automation tasks with the same level of priority as feature development. Don't ask engineers to "squeeze in" automation between feature sprints. Allocate dedicated time and resources for building and improving automated processes. This means including automation tasks in sprint planning and tracking them like any other user story.

I’ve found the “Rule of 5” helpful here. If a task is repetitive and takes more than 5 minutes to perform manually, it’s a prime candidate for automation.

3. Shifting Left: Test Automation is Non-Negotiable:

Automation isn't just about deployment. Robust test automation is crucial for preventing bugs and ensuring quality. This includes:

  • Unit Tests: Automated tests that verify the functionality of individual code units.
  • Integration Tests: Automated tests that verify the interaction between different components.
  • End-to-End Tests: Automated tests that simulate user interactions and verify the entire system.

Prioritize testing automation from the beginning. Don't treat it as an afterthought. Integrate test automation into your CI/CD pipeline to provide immediate feedback on code changes.

4. Documentation & Knowledge Sharing:

This one often gets overlooked. Automated processes are useless if no one knows how to use or maintain them. Invest in clear, concise documentation and promote knowledge sharing within your team.

  • Runbooks: Document common procedures and troubleshooting steps for automated processes.
  • Internal Wiki: Create a central repository for automation documentation and best practices.
  • Regular Training: Provide training sessions to help engineers learn how to use and maintain automation tools.

Beyond Efficiency: The Broader Impact​

Building an automation culture isn't just about making your team more efficient. It's about:

  • Reducing Risk: Automated processes are less prone to human error.
  • Improving Reliability: Consistent automation leads to more reliable systems.
  • Increasing Innovation: Freeing up engineers from repetitive tasks allows them to focus on more challenging and innovative work.
  • Boosting Morale: Engineers appreciate working in an environment where they are empowered to automate their work and focus on meaningful tasks.

I believe that in the future, “doing tech” will fundamentally include the ability to think in terms of automation, not just write code. It's about identifying patterns, abstracting away complexity, and building systems that can run autonomously. And that shift starts with building a strong automation culture within our engineering teams today.

Let's move beyond simply doing automation and embrace a future where automation is woven into the very fabric of our engineering culture.

To get started, identify one repetitive task your team can automate this week. Discuss these pillars with your team and identify areas where you can improve your automation culture. Schedule a workshop to explore how IaC and CI/CD can empower your engineers.

As 'doing tech' evolves, the ability to think in terms of automation will become increasingly critical, making a strong automation culture not just a competitive advantage, but a necessity.