Accessible Continuous Integration

Sound continuous integration practices are game-changing for teams looking to deliver stellar digital services to stakeholders. Automated deployments, rigorous code review, and similar processes are valuable tools developers employ to ensure the best possible results. Unfortunately for customers, those results are usually obtainable only through the services of developers, server admins, and trained technical staff.

If a client emails a project manager to inquire about code security or stability, the manager will need to consult with an engineer who will then run, analyze, and interpret the available data. Because continuous integration is not accessible to a non-technical audience, project managers and clients remain dependent on developers for these services.

But what if we could empower stakeholders to benefit from continuous integration practices without the need for technical staff?

We think the time for this shift has arrived. To date, technology has followed a standard maturation process -- a problem is identified, then tools are developed and eventually adopted to solve it. Over time, through the incorporation of feedback and enhancements, the tools become more accessible to a non-technical population.

For example, early desktop computing required users to interact with the system via a command-driven prompt. It wasn’t until Microsoft developed graphical user interfaces with clickable icons, more palatable to the general public, that desktop computing surged in popularity and became a staple of the modern computing experience. Technology must mature to a point where it is capable of serving a broad population if it is to reach its full potential.

We posit that continuous integration, as a practice, is ready to undergo the transformation needed for broader adoption.

Problems have been defined and tools developed in response to them. The technology is becoming more stable and robust each day. The next step is to bring continuous integration to the masses -- it must be made accessible. In this presentation, we’ll review the current state of this technology and introduce Accessible Continuous Integration as the next step in its evolution. We’ll cover the basic principles of Accessible Continuous Integration as a practice and provide case studies.

It’s time to start the conversation on how we can change the way we practice continuous integration so that it can reach its fullest potential.