Developers are used to deploying changes manually directly to the cluster, bypassing CI/CD. Access cannot be restricted. How to motivate switching to automated pipelines?

To motivate developers to switch to automated pipelines when it is not possible to prohibit manual deployment, the following approaches can be used:

• Show the benefits: automation reduces errors, speeds up releases, and simplifies rollback of changes.
• Demonstrate in practice: conduct a small experiment or pilot project with CI/CD to showcase effectiveness.
• Ensure convenience: make pipelines as simple and transparent as possible to avoid additional burden.
• Implement metrics: show how automation improves stability and product quality.
• Support and training: help the team master new tools and processes.

Thus, motivation is built on benefits and support, rather than prohibitions.