The Healthy Conflict Between Project Teams Implementing Change and Operations Resisting Change
In organisations, there's often a healthy conflict between project teams (focused on implementing change) and operations teams (focused on maintaining stability and resisting change). This tension is both natural and beneficial when managed properly, as it balances innovation with reliability. Here’s a breakdown of how this conflict plays out and why it's valuable:
1. Innovation vs. Stability
- Project Teams are usually tasked with bringing in new features, enhancements, and technologies that align with the business’s goals. Change is essential to keep products competitive and up-to-date, and these teams often push for rapid implementation to meet deadlines or market demands.
- Operations Teams, on the other hand, are responsible for keeping the systems running smoothly. Their focus is on uptime, security, and reliability. To achieve this, they tend to resist changes that may introduce risks, bugs, or downtime into a stable environment.
This inherent conflict ensures that neither side dominates the decision-making process. Innovation happens at a pace that minimises disruption, while stability is preserved without stifling necessary progress.
2. Risk Management
- Project Teams might want to introduce cutting-edge technologies or processes quickly, but operations will be more cautious, ensuring that changes are tested, compatible with existing infrastructure, and do not jeopardise performance or security.
- This creates a balance of risk: project teams push for necessary progress, while operations provide a crucial check to ensure that risks are carefully mitigated.
The tension between these two sides leads to better risk assessment and a more thoughtful approach to implementing changes.
3. Pace of Change
- Project Teams often want to move fast, particularly in competitive industries where time to market is critical. They are incentivised to deliver products or features quickly to gain an edge.
- Operations Teams, however, understand that rapid changes without thorough vetting can cause unanticipated outages or vulnerabilities. By resisting overly rapid changes, operations ensure that changes are paced in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the system.
The conflict ensures that the pace of change is realistic—fast enough to keep the company competitive, but not so fast that it sacrifices reliability.
4. Quality Assurance and Testing
- Project Teams may be under pressure to meet deadlines, which can sometimes lead to shortcuts in testing or deployment. Operations, with their focus on uptime and security, will insist on rigorous quality assurance processes to avoid failures in production.
- This creates a natural tension that drives better QA processes. Operations' resistance to change ensures that deployments are thoroughly tested, reducing the likelihood of bugs or downtime in production.
5. Long-term Planning vs. Short-term Goals
- Project Teams are often focused on short-term goals like feature releases or quick wins that can boost revenue or market position.
- Operations Teams are more focused on long-term system health. They resist changes that don’t align with long-term sustainability or that could lead to technical debt.
This healthy conflict pushes both sides to consider both the short-term impact and long-term viability of changes.
6. Collaboration and Communication
- The conflict also forces more communication and collaboration between teams. Project teams need to clearly justify why changes are necessary and explain the potential benefits, while operations teams need to articulate the risks and suggest mitigations or timelines that will work for both parties.
- This leads to a more open and transparent process, where changes are better understood, and compromises can be reached.
Conclusion
The healthy conflict between project teams (who drive change) and operations teams (who resist change) is a vital dynamic for successful organisations. This tension ensures that changes are implemented thoughtfully, balancing innovation with stability. Both teams provide essential perspectives—one prioritises progress, the other ensures safety—which, when harmonised, lead to sustainable growth and reliable operations.
DOX - A Computer Scientist's Notebook
Y0MG 1990-2024
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