DOP 271: Solving Real Problems in Platform Engineering
Jul 10, 2024
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Puja Abbassi, VP of Product at Giant Swarm, discusses the shift in platform engineering towards user impact over technical excellence. They explore challenges in large enterprises, enhancing user experience, support in SREs and developers' roles, and integrating a product mindset. The focus is on prioritizing impactful solutions and the significance of measuring success through tangible outcomes.
Platform engineering is shifting focus towards measuring success through user impact, not just technical achievements.
User experience plays a critical role in platform development, emphasizing the need for intuitive interfaces alongside technical functionalities.
Deep dives
Shifting Focus Towards Impactful Solutions
The discussion emphasizes a shift in focus from technology-centered approaches in platform engineering towards identifying areas where the most significant impact can be made. The episode delves into the necessity of addressing real-world problems in platform engineering to drive meaningful outcomes and highlights the importance of considering user needs and practical applicability over the mere adoption of trendy technologies.
Challenges in Platform Engineering for Enterprise Adoption
The conversation unfolds around the challenges faced by enterprises in adopting platform engineering practices, especially in the context of large organizations. The podcast explores the complexities that hinder swift adoption, such as lengthy backlogs, evolving technology landscapes, and the struggle to maintain and update existing platforms to align with current industry standards.
Key Patterns in Enterprise Platform Engineering
The episode examines common trends observed in enterprise platform engineering, notably emphasizing convergence at the interface and the prominent role of platforms like Confluence in sharing best practices and operational insights. It highlights the significance of streamlined workflows, particularly in larger enterprises, where documentation platforms serve as centralized information hubs for operational processes and knowledge sharing.
User Experience and Platform Design
The discussion uncovers the critical importance of user experience in platform development, contrasting the tendencies among technical teams to prioritize APIs and CLIs over user-friendly interfaces. It delves into the impact of neglecting user-centric design, citing successful projects like Argo that excelled due to their intuitive UIs. The episode stresses the need for aligning technical functionalities with seamless user experiences to enhance platform usability and adoption.
#271: Platform engineering has traditionally centered around technological excellence. From building robust Kubernetes clusters to implementing intricate CI/CD pipelines, the emphasis has been on mastering the technical aspects. However, as the industry matures, there's a growing realization that technological prowess alone isn't enough.
In this episode, we speak with Puja Abbassi, the VP of Product at Giant Swarm, about how measuring success not just through the lens of technological achievement but through the tangible impact on users is really where platform engineering is headed.