Q&A: The Power of Shift Left and Artificial Intelligence for Government IT Development

When it comes to government IT development, the concept of Shift Left continues to rise to the top as a key method to increase efficiencies in software development.

It is the practice of moving testing, quality, and performance evaluation early in the development process, often before any code is written. Shift Left helps IT teams to anticipate changes that can affect performance or other delivery processes. In addition, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is starting to play a role in Shift Left IT development.

In this Q&A interview, Nick Sibley, the Agile Coach & Trainer at Makpar, shares his insights into the value of Shift Left IT development for government. He also discusses the emerging impacts of AI on Shift Left, and how AI will impact the future of work.

The following conversation has been edited for length.

Q: To start, what is the Shift Left strategy for IT development and what are the challenges of this approach?

Nick: Shift Left is a product management approach where you focus on quality, security, compliance, and architecture from the start. This method emphasizes testing, including test-driven development (TDD), behavior-driven development (BDD), and human-centered design (HCD).

By writing tests first, you ensure that the development process aligns with predefined criteria. Additionally, you aim to automate testing as much as possible. Incorporating DevSecOps principles in the build cycle allows you to prioritize quality, security, and compliance, ensuring your architectural foundation supports scalability.

Shift Left involves writing tests before writing code. For example, when building bots, the process starts with defining the bot's functionality based on its use case, which is translated into a unit test for the developer. If the test fails, developers will then address the issues, fix the code, and rerun the tests.

The most beneficial aspect of AI for shift left is automation. It enables faster processes, such as sifting through data, building datasets, and constructing data models before running tests.

Q: How does Shift Left help when it comes to government IT development?

Nick: This approach minimizes the IT burden for government customers by making processes faster, more efficient, and higher quality while reducing costs.

Shifting left emphasizes quality, compliance, and minimizing costs by reducing rework. Testing early and ensuring functionality before production avoids costly rebuilds.

Another key aspect of Shift Left is continuous monitoring. Once deployed to production, the system is monitored and tested before being made accessible to users.

Even after release, the system remains under surveillance to confirm its performance meets expectations and aligns with key performance indicators (KPIs) and objectives and key results (OKRs). Gathering customer feedback and tracking usage helps ensure the desired outcomes are reached or exceeded.

Q: How is AI a promising solution to the challenges associated with implementing a Shift Left strategy for Service Desk capabilities?

Nick: For Service Desk capabilities, it’s really all about developing AI chatbots.

AI chatbots effectively handle basic level one service desk questions, such as 'How do I reset my password?' or 'When does open enrollment begin?' They can also automate tasks like creating a ticket or provide quick answers to common questions by accessing knowledge bases. However, the quality of the chatbot's responses depends on the information in its underlying model.

For instance, if a chatbot doesn't know when open enrollment starts, it may be due to a lack of relevant information in its model. AI is still in its early stages, like a toddler with a hammer. Its abilities are limited – it can create simple art or music, but more complex tasks may cause it to struggle.

The effectiveness of AI chatbots varies. For example, a request for information about the perils of AI might lead to irrelevant results, such as directions to a sock shop. In the end, chatbots' utility depends on the quality and comprehensiveness of the data they are trained on.

Q: What does the future look like when it comes to IT development and AI?

Nick: Today, AI can be used to write code. Simply ask it to generate the code you need, and it will produce something, though the results may vary in quality.

As AI continues to advance, it may diminish the need for developers. This trend has implications for hiring in the future, as businesses will seek out creative, artistic, and adaptive individuals over data-driven, analytical types. This shift reflects a move from hiring technical knowledge to valuing human creativity.

We are entering the age of augmentation, where technology enhances human capabilities. This era began in 2020, marking the end of the age of information technology. Examples of augmentation include advanced medical devices, such as artificial eyes or hydraulics for jaw replacements, or an augmented human hand that works from the human brain with no surgery required.

As we embrace this new era, it's important for companies to stay on the forefront to remain competitive by embracing this new age of augmentation and new way of working.

According to Maurice Conti, Designer, Futurist, & Innovator, “Over the course of the next 20 years, more will change around the way we do our work than has happened in the last 2,000!”

We would like to thank Nick for taking the time to speak with us! Please contact Makpar here to learn more about our Shift Left IT development approaches for government.