How to Deal with Resistance When Implementing Developer Portals?
Implementing a Developer Portal (DevPortal) in an organization, like any other knowledge management tool, can be met with resistance from the team. This is because these tools change the way people work and force the codification of previously informal knowledge shared between employees. Instead of imposing ready-made solutions, it can be more effective to inspire teams with the possibilities that a DevPortal offers and involve them in the design and implementation process. Resistance doesn’t stem solely from a lack of understanding but also from fear of change. In this situation, it’s helpful to take on the role of an advisor rather than just a tool provider.
Implementing a new developer portal is not just a technical challenge; it's also a cultural one.
I would like to share some lessons learned from my experience implementing Developer Portals as well as localization systems. I have noticed that the same principles work across different contexts, helping to effectively reduce resistance and engage people in the change. Analogous to implementing localization systems, where knowledge about resources is centralized, introducing a DevPortal may raise concerns about what the system might reveal about individuals rather than processes. It is crucial to configure the system to speak about business processes, not individual users.
Lesson 1: Empower Developers – Developer Portals
When working on a Developer Portal, the key is to inspire teams with the potential that the tool offers, instead of imposing ready-made solutions.
- Show Personal Value – It is important to show developers how a DevPortal can help in their daily work. Whether by reducing the time needed to find documentation or improving team collaboration, everyone should see the benefits that directly affect them.
- Empowerment Instead of Imposition – Developers need to feel in control of the process being introduced. Rather than imposing solutions, encourage them to design solutions themselves, while we serve as advisors, supporting them with our knowledge and helping with implementation.
- Workshops and Consultations – Creating workshops where developers design their own solutions can be crucial. Involving them in the process from the beginning builds engagement and a sense of ownership over the outcomes.
Lesson 2: Insights from Implementing Localization Systems
My experience as a tech PM in a French start-up Ubudu in Hong Kong taught me how delicate it can be to implement localization systems, particularly when they impact employees’ sense of privacy. These insights can be effectively applied to implementing Developer Portals.
- Transparency and Clear Communication – Regardless of what we are implementing, we need to be honest about the goals and architecture of the solution. People do not like surprises, especially when they can affect their privacy.
- Anonymity – Systems should prioritize anonymity. There is significantly less resistance when people know that the system tracks objects, not individuals. For example, a system that reports a congested area in a warehouse is acceptable, whereas tracking individual employees is not.
- Empowerment and Control – The exception where people accept being tracked is when they have control over when that tracking happens. An example is a “Find Me” option – the system works on the user’s request, which greatly increases its acceptance.
- Non-Personalization – Improving work efficiency should come from monitoring processes, not individual employees. Instead of tracking every developer, the system can point out, for example, repositories that frequently fail with error X or processes that take the most time.
Lesson 3: Key Principles – Trust, Control, and Empowerment
To summarize, here are some key principles:
- Transparency and Open Communication help build trust and reduce resistance. It is important for the team to understand the purpose of the implementation and know what benefits they can derive from it.
- Empowerment makes people more engaged when they have control over the process. It is crucial for everyone to feel that they have an impact on the changes being introduced and that they can design solutions themselves.
- Non-Personalization – Focusing on processes instead of individuals helps increase acceptance of new solutions, minimizing resistance arising from fears of being monitored.
Summary
Implementing a Developer Portal or any other management system requires not only technical skills but also an appropriate approach to the people who will be using it. Empowerment, open communication, and focusing on non-personalized processes are key elements that help reduce resistance and make the implementation a shared success.
I hope these principles will be inspiring and helpful for your future implementations. It is worth remembering that empowerment and education are the best ways to create a positive perception of changes, regardless of how technologically advanced they are.