DevOps Platform Engineering for growing software teams

I help software teams make their CI/CD, Azure DevOps, GitHub, or GitLab setup and deployment process reliable, secure, and maintainable without needing a full-time Platform Engineer.

This is a good fit for smaller and medium-sized software companies with one or more development teams, where platform work matters but does not yet justify a dedicated full-time DevOps or Platform Engineering role.

Plan an introduction call

Start with a DevOps Platform Scan

Where teams get stuck

Many growing software teams have reached the point where delivery and platform work needs more structure, but nobody fully owns it yet.

• Pipelines fail regularly and nobody really owns them.
• Every repository has its own way of building and deploying.
• Developers spend too much time maintaining tooling instead of building features.
• Security and quality checks are not applied consistently.
• Azure DevOps, GitHub, or GitLab was set up once, but is not actively maintained.
• A full-time Platform Engineer is too expensive, but having nobody responsible is also risky.

That usually leads to brittle delivery workflows, more ad-hoc work, and slower improvement than the team actually needs.

Main offerings

DevOps Platform Scan

A short, fixed-scope assessment for teams that want a clear view of where their DevOps platform stands and what should happen next.

Typical deliverables:

• Review of CI/CD pipelines
• Review of branching, permissions, security, and quality checks
• Identification of risks and quick wins
• Practical improvement roadmap for the next 30, 60, and 90 days

This is the right starting point if you want an external second opinion, an Azure DevOps audit, or sharper priorities before investing in larger changes.

DevOps Platform Care

A recurring service for ongoing support, maintenance, and improvement of your delivery platform.

Typical outcomes:

• More reliable pipelines
• Better developer experience
• Less ad-hoc DevOps work for developers
• Continuous improvement of CI/CD, automation, and platform standards
• Access to experienced DevOps and Platform Engineering expertise without a full-time hire

This is the productized version of part-time DevOps or platform support: steady senior attention on the platform, without turning it into a full-time headcount. For more detail on this recurring model, see DevOps Platform Care.

DevOps Platform Improvement Projects

Focused implementation work for teams that already know what needs to improve, or that want to execute the roadmap from a Platform Scan.

Typical project themes:

• CI/CD pipeline setup or modernization
• YAML pipeline templates
• Azure DevOps, GitHub, or GitLab governance
• Security and quality scanning
• Infrastructure as Code
• Kubernetes and GitOps onboarding
• Build agent setup and optimization
• Release automation

These projects can be short and focused, or part of a broader platform improvement trajectory.

What this looks like in practice

The engagement model is built around Platform Scan, Platform Care, and focused improvement projects. Within those services, I regularly help with:

• CI/CD pipeline setup and modernization
• Reusable YAML templates and platform standardization
• Azure DevOps, GitHub, or GitLab audits, governance, and health checks
• Infrastructure as Code with Terraform and Bicep
• Automation of builds, deployments, and repetitive operational work
• Security and quality checks as part of everyday delivery
• Kubernetes, GitOps, and release automation where needed
• Training and coaching to help teams adopt new standards and ways of working

How we can start

1. Introductory call
2. DevOps Platform Scan
3. Improvement roadmap
4. Ongoing Platform Care or a focused implementation project

Why work with Mike

I work pragmatically and tool-agnostically, with a focus on what smaller teams can realistically maintain over time.

• Practical experience with Azure DevOps, GitHub, and GitLab
• Deep work on CI/CD pipelines and reusable YAML templates
• Experience with Kubernetes, GitOps, and platform standardization
• Infrastructure as Code with Terraform and Bicep
• Security and quality checks as part of everyday delivery workflows
• Automation that reduces manual work and operational friction
• Coaching development teams and helping improvements stick
• Translating enterprise DevOps practices into approaches that fit smaller teams

I do my best work in short, focused engagements or as a recurring extension of a team that wants more reliability and structure without unnecessary complexity.

Want to know where your DevOps platform stands?

Plan a short introduction call and discover whether a Platform Scan or ongoing Platform Care would help your team.

Plan an introduction call