I have been practicing FinOps for about 4 years now.

Along the way, I have done all sorts of things to try to get better:

• Become a FinOps Certified Practitioner

• Take FinOps Courses with the FinOps Foundation

• Join FinOps communities and forums

And all of these things helped me a ton.

But if I had to start all over again (as a beginner), this is the simple framework I wish I had for learning FinOps:

Step 1: Understand Cloud Architecture

FinOps practitioners should have a solid understanding of the architecture of the cloud environment they are working with, including the different services available, how they interact with each other, and how data flows through them.

Step 2: Learn Cost Optimization

Practitioners need to have a thorough understanding of cost optimization techniques and apply those techniques effectively. This includes identifying underutilized resources, eliminating wasteful spending, and using automation to reduce costs.

Step 3: Own Financial Management

You should have a good understanding of financial management, which means budgeting, forecasting, and cost allocation. Besides this, analyzing financial data to provide insights for spending optimization is important.

Step 4: Collaborate

FinOps is a team effort that requires collaboration between different departments, including finance, operations, and IT. You should be able to communicate effectively with stakeholders from different backgrounds and work collaboratively to achieve shared goals.

Step 5: Continuously Learn

Cloud environments are constantly changing, so FinOps practitioners should be committed to continuous learning and staying current with the latest tools and techniques. They should be willing to experiment with new approaches and technologies to find the most effective ways to optimize costs.

By focusing on these 5 steps, you can become proficient in managing cloud costs and help organizations achieve better financial outcomes.