Why Organisations Believe Their Software Is Too Complex for CD

TL;DR; Software complexity is often used as an excuse to avoid continuous delivery, but real-world examples like Microsoft’s Azure DevOps team show that even large, complex systems can achieve frequent releases by investing in quality practices and addressing technical debt. The main barrier is not complexity but the willingness to make necessary improvements. Development managers should focus on fixing underlying issues rather than blaming complexity.

Published on 24 February 2025

Written by Martin Hinshelwood

1 minute read

https://nkdagility.com/resources/T-sHn-OUIvR

Every organisation claims their software is too complex for continuous delivery. It’s not. Complexity is an excuse, not a blocker.

Microsoft’s Azure DevOps team proved it. They moved from shipping new features every two years to every three weeks. At their peak, they were delivering nearly 300 features annually. This wasn’t because their codebase got simpler—it didn’t. They invested in quality practices, tackled technical debt head-on, and built the pipelines needed to deliver continuously.

The real blocker isn’t complexity. It’s the willingness to invest in fixing what’s broken. If Microsoft can do it at their scale, with their legacy systems, what’s your excuse?

Also published on: LinkedIn

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