Critical infrastructure modernization: directions for services & sales transformation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56652/ejmss2024.1-2.3Keywords:
continuous delivery, agile, DevOps,, telecommunications, critical infrastructureAbstract
Context: Large-scale software companies adopt continuous delivery (CD) practices widely. Short delivery cycles with frequent but small product changes reduce time-to-market and improve quality. Suppliers of critical network infrastructure products cannot exploit CD benefits. Objective: This study shifted the research focus from the product development organization to the customer interface. It evaluated the understanding, knowledge, and opinions of the customers’ delivery stakeholders about the implications of the CD transformation on the supplier and customer’s way of working. Method: A semi-structured in-depth interview protocol was developed around three research questions. Fifteen employees of the Finnish telecommunication vendor were interviewed. Results: Considering extreme automation throughout the value stream, the commercial model and service offering must be adjusted for fast-paced delivery projects. Increasing the intensity of product updates required hardening of the deployment governance. Differences in CD readiness between products in the same solution portfolio hindered operational benefits. Conclusions: Hot spots of CD transformation were identified to unblock CD operationalization at the customer interface. The CD North Star, which spells out benefits and new ways of working, would support the most sensitive change management activities such as revising product-attached services and creating new commercial models.
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