8 Video Workflows That Optimize IT Operations
It wasn't that long ago when Agile revolutionized IT workflow, introducing a feedback-forward process that ensured each project task was perfected and approved before moving on to the next.
To execute a task with high precision, an assigned team needs a reliable arsenal of tools, including video. Project managers also need updated tool stacks to lead complex projects to completion.
Since proactive communication is so critical in this new age of workflow, IT teams are leveraging video to manage MTTR, SRE onboarding, incident command, CAB assessments, runbooks, release notes, RCAs, and shift handoffs.
1. Reduce MTTR With Video Communication
IT communication relies on text-heavy documentation, like dense PDF manuals, extensive runbooks, and wikis.
Video is certainly not replacing these formats, as they're vital for completing and documenting complex technical projects. When time is of the essence, though, video-based communication can facilitate quicker knowledge transfer, reducing the mean time to recovery (MTTR) for IT service restoration.
2. Build Better SRE Onboarding Processes
On the topic of MTTR, video communication enhances incident response in Site Reliability Engineering. SRE supports service growth and availability. SRE project managers can also use video to develop clearer, more effective onboarding systems that better prepare SRE engineers for such time-sensitive work.
Consider this scenario: You're an SRE project manager for an IT firm in Orlando and want to help new hires familiarize themselves quickly with a site's architecture.
You need to transform a dense text-based manual into a video explainer with animated diagrams to illustrate the reason behind specific data center redundancies. You review your guide to Orlando video production and find a service for motion graphics and animation, kickstarting the production process.
3. Optimize Incident Command in IT
One of the most time-consuming tasks during a major system outage is stakeholder communication.
During outages, response teams are flooded with inquiries about service statuses. Creating a clear explanation video not only communicates effectively, but it also offers peace of mind to stakeholders, knowing that a real person is on the job.
Posting a video in a Slack channel can also put internal worries at ease when all systems are down.
Videos can be updated with new status information by simply editing the text. This saves time on back-and-forth messages, ensuring "all hands are on deck" to restore service.
4. Streamline CAB Assessments With Video
Here's a familiar scenario: Your IT firm wants to propose several software changes, but these changes must be reviewed by a change advisory board (CAB) first. The CAB is a team of stakeholders that reviews proposed changes for risk, impact, and IT practicability.
Create a video explainer to illustrate the changes to streamline the CAB review process. You can better highlight topics of importance to the CAB team, like risk assessment and consumer impact. Screen-sharing tools allow the process to be conducted entirely remotely.
5. Create Runbook Walkthrough Videos
Suppose you have a cascading site failure at 3:00 AM. Even the fastest, most experienced support engineers can get tripped up by a dense runbook under intense stress. Making a video-based runbook accessible could make all the difference between a remedied timeout issue and a site-wide outage.
Similar to video-based onboarding, video runbooks can better prepare new engineers. By including a table of contents beneath the videos, engineers can navigate straight to sections on command-line inputs or expected system responses. This video workflow allows for better multitasking in times of stress.
6. Publish Release Note Videos
With the sheer amount of documentation generated in IT, release notes can slip through the cracks. However, they're essential for documenting bug fixes, communicating known issues, rolling out new features, and covering more topics of stakeholder importance.
Recording an explainer video and posting (and pinning) it in Slack channels and emails ensures release notes are effectively communicated. To confirm understanding, include a feedback form with the video.
7. Produce RCA Video Explainers
Consider this challenge: How do you explain complex root cause analysis (RCA) to non-technical clients?
These are customers who want a better understanding of how problems are solved. This is an opportunity to build trust through transparency.
Produce an RCA explainer video that cuts through the technical jargon to simplify complex topics. Get ahead of the game by illustrating a hypothetical scenario that defines the problem, gathers data, identifies causal factors, and implements fixes.
8. Facilitate Effective Shift Handoffs
Documentation is critical for ensuring smooth shift handoffs in IT. But crucial details can get lost in the shuffle as busy engineers are forced to speed-read through the previous shift's documentation.
A shift video can clearly illustrate active incidents, pending tasks, or unresolved system behaviors that the incoming shift needs to know. This process also eliminates meetings to clarify details so that the next shift can really hit the ground running.
Adopt a Video-Based Workflow
Ensure every stakeholder is on the same page, from SRE engineers to curious customers. Improve response times, onboarding, risk assessments, and instructional and communication documentation.
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