book

Platform Engineering

by Camille Fournier, Ian Nowland

October 2024

Intermediate to advanced

324 pages

10h 45m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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A Note from CamilleWho This Book Is ForHow to Read This BookO’Reilly Online LearningHow to Contact UsAcknowledgmentsFrom CamilleFrom IanFrom Both of Us
Defining “Platform” and Other Important TermsThe Over-General SwampHow We Got Stuck in the Over-General SwampChange #1: Explosion of ChoiceChange #2: Higher Operational NeedsResult: Drowning in the SwampHow Platform Engineering Clears the SwampLimiting Primitives While Minimizing OverheadReducing Per-Application GlueCentralizing the Cost of MigrationsAllowing Application Developers to Operate What They DevelopEmpowering Teams to Focus on Building PlatformsWrapping Up
Taking a Curated Product ApproachDeveloping Software-Based AbstractionsThe Major Abstractions: Platform Service and Its APIsThick ClientsOSS CustomizationsIntegrating Metadata RegistriesServing a Broad Base of Application DevelopersOperating as FoundationsResponsibility for the Full PlatformSupporting the PlatformOperational DisciplineWrapping Up
Fostering Platform Cooperation at Small ScaleCreating the Platform Teams That Replace CooperationAre the Benefits of Centralizing Ownership Worth the Costs?Realize the Collective Dynamic Is GoneFocus on Solving Problems, Not New Technology or ArchitectureBeware of New Engineers Coming from Much Bigger CompaniesBe Slow to Hire Product Managers (and Avoid Project Managers)Bonus Problems for Integration/Shared Services PlatformsTransforming a Traditional Infrastructure OrganizationYour Whole Engineering Culture Has to ChangeIdentify the Most Promising Areas to StartRecognize That You Can’t Just Rub Product Managers on It and Call It a DayChange the Way You Support Your ProductsUpdate Your Interview ProcessUpdate Your Systems of Recognition and RewardDon’t Have Too Many Project ManagersAccept That Your Team Will Spend More Time Talking to Customers and Less Time Writing CodeDo the Necessary RestructuringKeep It Fun!Wrapping Up
The Risks of Single-Focus Platform TeamsToo Much Systems Focus Too Much Development FocusThe Different Roles of Platform EngineersSoftware EngineersSystems EngineersReliability EngineersSystems SpecialistsHiring and Recognizing Engineers in All RolesAllow Role-Specific TitlesAvoid Creating a New Software Engineer Level MatrixHave, at Most, One Level Matrix for the Systems RolesIf Needed, Create a New Software Engineer Interview ProcessVary the Interview Only Slightly for Systems RolesInterview for Customer EmpathyWhat Makes a Great Platform Engineering Manager?Experience Operating PlatformsExperience on Big, Long-Running ProjectsAttention to DetailOther Roles on a Platform TeamProduct ManagersProduct OwnersProject Managers/Technical Program ManagersDeveloper Advocates, Technical Writers, and Support EngineersCreating a Platform Engineering Team CultureA Platform Split Between a Development and an SRE TeamStrengths and Weaknesses of the Development TeamMerging the Teams and Adding Product ManagementInstilling a Platform Engineering CultureWrapping Up
Product Culture Focuses on the CustomerCharacteristics of Internal CustomersCollaborating with Internal CustomersEmpathizing with CustomersEscaping the Feature Shop Trap to Serve Customers More BroadlyProduct Discovery and Market AnalysisIdentifying Potential Platform ProductsEvolving Existing Offerings: Smoothing the Edges or Rethinking the ProblemMarket Research: Validating New InvestmentsProduct MetricsSuccessful Product Execution: Creating a Product RoadmapVision: Long TermStrategy: Middle TermGoals and Metrics: This YearMilestones: QuarterlyThe Customer-Facing RoadmapSpecification of FeaturesPractice Makes PerfectProduct Failure ModesUnderestimating the Migration CostOverestimating the Change Budget for UsersOverestimating the Value of New Features When Stability Is PoorHaving Too Many Product Managers for the Size of the Engineering TeamHaving Product Managers Doing the Work That Engineering Managers Should Be DoingWrapping Up
On-Call PracticesWhy 24x7 On-Call Coverage MattersWhy Merged DevOps?Getting to a Sustainable On-Call LoadSupport PracticesWhy Platform Engineers Should Do Support WorkStage 1: Formalize Support LevelsStage 2: Separate Noncritical Support from On-CallStage 3: Hire a Support SpecialistStage 4: At Scale with an Engineering Support OrganizationOperational Feedback PracticesSLOs and SLAs Are Necessary; Error Budgets Are OptionalChange ManagementSynthetic MonitoringOperational ReviewsWrapping Up

Planning Long-Running ProjectsClarifying Goals and Requirements in a Proposal DocumentGoing from Proposal to Action PlanAvoiding the Long SlogBottom-Up Roadmap Planning“Keep the Lights On” WorkMandatesSystem ImprovementsBringing It All TogetherCommunicating Status with Biweekly Wins and ChallengesThe BasicsWhy: What’s the Value?What: Structuring Wins and Challenges UpdatesDon’t Forget the Challenges!Getting Your Team to Write Wins and ChallengesWrapping Up
Why Rearchitecting Is Preferred to Building a v2 Different Engineering MindsetsArchitectural Needs Drive Mindset DemandsWhy It Is Hard to Build v2 Platforms, but Possible to RearchitectAddressing Security with ArchitectureGuardrails for RearchitecturesCompatibilityTestingLower EnvironmentsTranches, Slow Rollouts, and Staying a Version BehindPlanning for Rearchitectures Step 1: Think Big on Final Rearchitecture GoalsStep 2: Factor in Migration CostsStep 3: Determine Major 12-Month WinsStep 4: Get Leadership Buy-in, and Be Prepared to WaitWrapping Up
Migration AntipatternsEngineering Easier MigrationsUse Product Abstractions That Minimize Glue and Limit VariationArchitect for Transparent MigrationsTrack Usage MetadataDevelop Automation to Avoid Clipboards Document On-Ramps and Off-RampsCoordinating Smoother MigrationsScope, Limit, and Prioritize Planned ChangesCommunicate Early and PubliclyPush Through the Final 20%Use Mandates SparinglySunsetting Platforms Deciding When to SunsetCoordinating the SunsettingDon’t Be Afraid to Sunset When It Makes SenseWrapping Up
Stakeholder Mapping: The Power-Interest GridCommunicating with the Right TransparencyBeware of Oversharing DetailUse Regular 1:1s JudiciouslyTrack Expectations and CommitmentsScale Up with Interlock Meetings and Customer Advisory BoardsIncrease Communication During Rough PatchesFinding Acceptable CompromisesBe Clear About the Business ImpactSometimes Say “Yes, with Compromises”Saying “No” Without Ruining the RelationshipCompromising on Shadow PlatformsMoney Troubles: Cost and Budget ManagementStep 1: Figure Out Who Will Benefit TomorrowStep 2: Group the Work into Teams (Don’t Go Person-by-Person)Step 3: Come with Suggestions of What to Cut and Strong Opinions About What to KeepWrapping Up
Alignment to PurposeAlign Teams to Purpose with the Right Mix of PeopleAlign Culture to Purpose with Common PracticesAlign Culture to Purpose by Having Teams CollaborateAlignment of Product StrategyFoster Cross-Platform Thinking with Independent Product ManagementFoster Cross-Platform Architecture with Independent Lead ICsSeek Feedback from Comments in Platform-wide Customer SurveysJudiciously Resolve Misalignment with RestructuringAlignment of PlansAlign Only on Larger Projects, Not on Every DetailBe Forthright in Confronting MisalignmentFinal Alignment Comes from Principled LeadershipTying It Together: Getting an Organization to AlignmentWrapping Up
Trust in How You OperateAccelerate Trust by Empowering Experienced LeadersOptimize Growth in Trust by Ordering Use CasesTrust in Your Big InvestmentsSeek Technical Stakeholder Buy-in for Trust of Rearchitectures Seek Executive Sponsorship for Trust of New ProductsMaintain Old Systems to Retain TrustGaining Trust Requires Flexibility on What Is “Right”Trust to Prioritize DeliveryCreate a Culture of VelocityPrioritize Projects to Free Up Team CapacityChallenge Assumptions About Product ScopeTying It Together: The Case of the Overcoupled PlatformWrapping Up
Managing the Accidental Complexity of Human CoordinationManaging the Complexity of Shadow PlatformsManaging Complexity by Controlling GrowthManaging Complexity Through Product DiscoveryTying It Together: Balancing Internal and External ComplexityBurning Out on OSS OperationsTrying (and Failing) to Change the GameShadow Platforms Force a ResetExecuting on the ResetWrapping Up
Love Just WorksLove Can Look Like a HackLove Can Be ObviousTying It Together: Love Makes Your Users AwesomeWrapping Up: What Is Love? Baby Don’t Hurt Me

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About the Authors

Camille Fournier is a technology executive with leadership experience ranging from early-stage startups to Fortune 50 corporations. She was a founding member of the CNCF Technical Oversight Committee and currently serves on the board of ACM Queue. She has published two other books with O’Reilly, The Manager’s Path: A Guide for Tech Leaders Navigating Growth and Change and 97 Things Every Engineering Manager Should Know.

Ian Nowland has been in the software industry for 25 years, most recently spending 4 years at Datadog, where he was the SVP of core engineering. Prior to this, he was at AWS in their early days (2008–2016), where he was the lead engineer on the launch of Amazon EMR and the leader of the first five years of the EC2 Nitro project. He is currently a cofounder at a stealth mode startup.