Platform Engineering #2: Treat Developers as Customers
The crucial mindset shift: viewing your platform as a product and your end users – the developers – as customers.
Hey Folks 👋,
I'm Romaric Philogene, CEO and co-founder of Qovery, and in this second post on my Substack, I'm diving into a topic close to my heart and career – Platform Engineering. In this issue, I want to explore a crucial mindset shift: viewing your platform as a product and your end users – the developers – as customers.
Understanding the 'Product' Mindset
In traditional product development, customer satisfaction is gold. The product team constantly seeks feedback, improves features, and ensures that the product solves real problems for its users. This approach is incredibly effective and, interestingly, is just as applicable in Platform Engineering.
User-Centric Development
When we start seeing our platform as a product, our focus shifts to user-centric development. This shift means understanding the pain points, needs, and desires of our 'customers' – the developers. It's about building a platform that not only works but works in a way that delights those who use it.
Feedback Loops
A product is never static. It evolves based on user feedback and changing needs. Establishing robust feedback mechanisms allows you to iterate on your platform, making it more efficient and user-friendly with each update.
Marketing and Advocacy
Like any product, your platform needs advocates and marketing. This aspect involves communicating the value of your platform effectively, showcasing its benefits, and making sure that potential users are aware of how it can make their work easier and more efficient.
Product Management vs. Platform Engineering
It’s necessary to clarify what’s the difference between Product Management and Platform Engineering. While Platform Engineering and Product Management share common goals like user satisfaction and continuous improvement, they have distinct roles:
Product Management: This involves defining the 'what' and 'why' of a product. Product managers focus on market needs, user feedback, and strategic direction. They prioritize features and guide the product's vision and roadmap.
Platform Engineering: Here, the focus is on the 'how'. Platform Engineers are responsible for implementing the vision set by Product Management. This includes building, maintaining, and evolving the platform to meet the needs outlined by the product team.
The synergy between these two disciplines is crucial. Product Management sets the destination, while Platform Engineering paves the road to get there.
I hope it’s clearer - if not, please drop a comment 👇
Why Treat Developers as Customers?
Developers are the lifeblood of any tech organization. They are the ones who will interact with your platform daily. Their satisfaction and efficiency directly impact the success of your platform.
Enhanced Adoption and Usage
When developers feel that a platform is built with their needs in mind, they are more likely to adopt it and use it to its full potential. This increased adoption enhances overall productivity and innovation.
In a future post, I’ll deeply cover this part
Getting Ambassadors
Focusing on developers as customers helps in identifying and nurturing early ambassadors for your platform. These early adopters can provide valuable feedback, advocate for your platform internally, and drive organic growth through their endorsement.
Remember, your platform is a product and you need to sell it! Even inside your organization 😁.
Long-term Success
Platforms that are loved and valued by their users have a higher chance of long-term success. Developer satisfaction leads to loyalty (bye bye shadow IT), and loyal users are the best evangelists for your platform and ultimately how good your Platform Engineering team is.
Conclusion
Thinking of your platform as a product and treating developers as customers is not just a strategy; it's a necessity. This approach leads to better design, improved functionality, and ultimately a platform that stands the test of time and technology.
And please, remember that our greatest asset is not just the technology we build but the people who use it.
Let's revolutionize Platform Engineering by putting developers first. Subscribe now to join me on this exciting journey!