DevOps emphasizes collaboration between software development and IT operations to streamline the software development lifecycle. By fostering a culture of shared responsibility, DevOps encourages teams to work together throughout the planning, development, deployment, and monitoring phases. This integration leads to faster release cycles, improved software quality, and quicker resolution of issues. Key practices include continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD), automated testing, and infrastructure as code. The DevOps approach reduces bottlenecks and enhances efficiency, allowing organizations to respond promptly to market demands and deliver reliable software products more effectively.