What are Platform teams, why are they important, and why do (almost) all high-growth companies and big tech have them? A thread.
1. The easiest way to visualize Platform teams is blocks of specific types. Other teams (called Product/Program) use these "blocks" to build.
1. The easiest way to visualize Platform teams is blocks of specific types. Other teams (called Product/Program) use these "blocks" to build.
2. Platforms are focused on a technical mission, rarely have cross-functional engineers (e.g. mobile & backend folks) on the same team, and customers are (usually) internal engineering teams.
Examples include infra-like Platform teams and Product Platform teams.
Examples include infra-like Platform teams and Product Platform teams.
3. Why even have a Platform? Could we not just... do what we do?
Platforms own very specific goals, often tied to non-functional capabilities like performance, reliability, compliance, security etc.
Yes, you could do without them: and every single team would need to own these.
Platforms own very specific goals, often tied to non-functional capabilities like performance, reliability, compliance, security etc.
Yes, you could do without them: and every single team would need to own these.
4. After a given size, it starts to become more efficient to move some of these "areas" into Platform teams. This is what Uber did, what LinkedIn did, what Doordash, what... well, every high-growth tech company ends up at.
Either ahead of time.. or responding to growth pains.
Either ahead of time.. or responding to growth pains.
5. What are pain points of platform teams?
There is no "free lunch" These teams solve pain points, but introduce new ones. Here are a few (from newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/program-plat…)
Not great. Another pain point is some platform teams live on for too long, and can become self-serving.
There is no "free lunch" These teams solve pain points, but introduce new ones. Here are a few (from newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/program-plat…)
Not great. Another pain point is some platform teams live on for too long, and can become self-serving.
6. How do you do Platform teams "right"?
I've founded Platform teams, and am researching this topic in-depth. I'm sharing observations in my newsletter (both as paid & free posts: the paid ones will more "first-hand" thoughts, free ones more summaries): newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com
I've founded Platform teams, and am researching this topic in-depth. I'm sharing observations in my newsletter (both as paid & free posts: the paid ones will more "first-hand" thoughts, free ones more summaries): newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com
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