Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Accelerate summary
Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations
15 mins
Brief summary
Accelerate is an insightful book that reveals the key practices for achieving high-performing organizations. Based on extensive research, it offers practical strategies for accelerating software delivery, increasing stability, and fostering a culture of high performance and innovation.
Table of Contents
Accelerate
Summary of 5 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 5
Continuous delivery lets you make changes without disrupting your organization
The Agile Manifesto was published in 2001. At that time, extreme programming – XP for short – was the go-to agile method for many in the industry. Unlike scrum, XP was highly technical in nature. It emphasized steps like continuously testing and integrating software during development. Continuous delivery takes this idea even further. It's like saying, “We need to have a good recipe and the right ingredients from the start if we want to bake a great cake.”
So, what is continuous delivery in simple terms? Imagine having a toolkit that lets you make any kind of change to your software – whether it's adding new features, fixing errors, or trying out something new – and then being able to roll that out smoothly and quickly.
There are a few golden rules to this.
First up? Start with quality. The idea is that it's easier to start off right than to fix mistakes later.
Second, break tasks down. It's like assembling a jigsaw puzzle, where you piece together the picture step by step, allowing you to grasp what's working and make adjustments along the way.
Third, let machines do the repetition. Put differently, use your resources wisely. People are great at solving complex challenges, so let them do that. The boring stuff? Automate it!
Fourth, always aim higher. The best teams always look for ways to improve.
Finally, teamwork makes the dream work. Everyone involved should work together, aiming for the bigger picture – not just their piece of the puzzle.
Now, to make continuous delivery work, you need some solid foundations. We can also break these foundations down into three maxims.
First, have a solid blueprint. Every step in building, testing, and rolling out software should be automated. Only a few steps, like final approvals, should need a human touch.
Second, keep merging. Teams should keep integrating their work and making sure it works to catch issues early.
Last but not least, always be testing! Testing shouldn't be an afterthought; it should be happening all the time. Only once a job passes all its tests can it be considered “done.”
In short, continuous delivery is all about getting good-quality software out there regularly and reliably. It's like a well-oiled machine where everyone from the coder to the designer to the tester works together seamlessly. And the benefits? Research says it not only makes software delivery better but also improves team spirit and reduces stress and deployment issues. But like any big change, it needs investment in time, tools, and a willingness to adapt.
If we dive deeper, we see that blending this into the bigger picture of company systems and software structures can be a challenge. And that’s what we’ll be looking at next.
Want to see all full key ideas from Accelerate?
Key ideas in Accelerate
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Accelerate about?
Accelerate (2018) explores the intersection of software development and organizational performance. Drawing on rigorous research, it reveals the practices and capabilities that allow high-performing technology-driven companies to excel and achieve a competitive edge in the fast-paced digital era.
Accelerate Review
Accelerate (2018) is an insightful book that explores how high-performing organizations successfully navigate the world of software development. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- It offers empirical evidence and research-based insights that provide a framework for improving software delivery performance.
- The book explores the key capabilities that drive organizational success in software development, making it a valuable resource for professionals and leaders in the field.
- With its practical tips and real-world case studies, it keeps readers engaged and showcases the potential for significant improvements in software development processes.
Who should read Accelerate?
- Tech leaders seeking performance optimization
- Agile and DevOps practitioners
- Business owners looking to improve software delivery
Categories with Accelerate
Book summaries like Accelerate
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Stephen R. Covey
Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
23 min
4.6
The Elements of Scrum
Chris Sims and Hillary Louise Johnson
A guide to every aspect of Scrum
16 min
4.1
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
33 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
Accelerate FAQs
What is the main message of Accelerate?
Unlock the true potential of your organization through the practice of DevOps.
How long does it take to read Accelerate?
The reading time for Accelerate varies, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Accelerate a good book? Is it worth reading?
Accelerate is a must-read for anyone interested in improving their organization's performance. It offers valuable insights and practical advice.
Who is the author of Accelerate?
The authors of Accelerate are Nicole Forsgren, Jez Humble, and Gene Kim.
What to read after Accelerate?
If you're wondering what to read next after Accelerate, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Team Topologies by Matthew Skelton & Manuel Pais
- The Devops Handbook by Gene Kim
- High-Impact Tools for Teams by Stefano Mastrogiacomo and Alexander Osterwalder
- The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick P. Brooks
- Amp It Up by Frank Slootman
- How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
- On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
- The Wealth Money Can't Buy by Robin Sharma
- Start With Why by Simon Sinek