The adage “if you build it, they will come” resonates with an optimism and entrepreneurial spirit found throughout the tech world. This sentiment, however, can be dangerously misleading – especially for platform engineering teams. It lures teams into a focus on building solutions without adequate consideration for the very people they’re meant to serve: their fellow engineers.

Building in a Vacuum

Too often, platform teams fall into the trap of prioritizing technical elegance and ambition over the genuine needs of developers who’ll use the platform. This leads to a few common pitfalls:

  • Solutions in search of problems: Without deep empathy for developer pain points, platform teams risk building highly sophisticated tools that fail to address actual problems or create more problems than they solve.
  • The “force-fit” mentality: Assuming other development teams must use what’s built fosters an inflexible approach, leading to frustration and resistance to adoption.
  • Tunnel vision: Focusing solely on the platform itself limits understanding of broader workflow issues. Solutions might be technically sound but create bottlenecks elsewhere in the process.

Platform Engineering as a Product

The solution lies in a fundamental shift in how platform teams perceive their work. They must transition from the role of “builders” to “product owners,” where their internal development teams are the valued customers. This means:

  • Deep customer empathy: Conduct thorough user research to understand developer pain points, workflow complexities, and where automation or streamlining brings the most value. This might include interviews, shadowing developers, and analyzing support tickets.
  • Iterative development: Engage developers early and often. Get rapid feedback on prototypes or initial versions. Incorporate this feedback visibly – fostering trust and buy-in from your “customers.”
  • Clear and compelling value proposition: Don’t just tell other teams what you built, clearly articulate why it benefits them. Highlight time saved, frustrations reduced, or the new capabilities your platform unlocks.
  • Usability is paramount: Intuitive interfaces, comprehensive documentation, and seamless integration into existing workflows are essential for encouraging platform adoption.
  • Metrics and ongoing improvement: Track adoption rates, time savings, and user satisfaction to continually iterate and refine the platform’s value to the organization.

The Benefits of Customer-Centric Platform Engineering

Adopting this mindset offers compelling advantages:

  • Accelerated adoption: Platforms that are useful and easy to use naturally gain traction.
  • Increased developer productivity: Removing unnecessary friction empowers developers to focus on their core tasks.
  • Higher quality output: Platforms that address real-world developer challenges translate into better software outcomes.
  • Stronger Collaboration: A customer-focused platform engineering team fosters a positive, collaborative dynamic with other engineering teams.

Let’s Build Better

The “if you build it, they will come” philosophy has no place in modern platform engineering. It’s time for platform teams to embrace a customer-centric approach, prioritizing understanding, adaptability, and delivering genuine value to their fellow engineers. In doing so, they won’t just build platforms; they’ll cultivate a thriving, innovative engineering ecosystem.