By Marty Cagan · svpg.com · LinkedIn
Marty Cagan argues that platform product management, which means building foundation software that other companies use to create end-user solutions, is among the hardest and highest-leverage jobs in product. He first distinguishes true platforms from unfinished products that merely push work onto customers. A platform must satisfy three constituencies at once: application providers who care about business viability, developers who want productive tools, and end-users who ultimately decide whether the application succeeds. The central warning is that teams usually prioritize developers and application providers over end-users, which inverts what actually drives success. Cagan notes that many widely successful platforms were poor for developers yet delivered strong end-user value, so the finished application should guide priorities.
01Key takeaways
- Verify you have multiple commercial products built on your software before calling it a platform.
- Map and weigh the needs of application providers, developers, and end-users explicitly rather than defaulting to developer preferences.
- Prioritize the value delivered to end-users, since that drives application provider success and ultimately your own.
- Accept some developer friction when it produces applications end-users genuinely want.
- Plan for high support expectations, because your platform is a critical dependency for every customer.
- Recognize that platforms are high-leverage, so success can create an ecosystem where partners and you grow together.
02Key sections
- What counts as a platform
- Platforms are foundation software used by developers to build end-user products, such as operating systems and developer APIs. Cagan says many so-called platforms are really unfinished products that offload work onto customers.
- Three constituencies
- Application providers, developers, and end-users each have distinct needs, and a platform must meet all three to succeed. Application providers focus on viability, developers on productive tooling, and end-users on the final result.
- The prioritization mistake
- Teams tend to optimize for developers and then application providers while neglecting end-users, who are the furthest removed. Cagan argues this order is backwards.
- Delivery models and support
- Platforms vary in delivery and customization models, each deserving deeper treatment, and support is demanding because the platform is a critical dependency for all customers.
03From the post
“A partnership dedicated to teaching best practices to product teams and product leaders”
04Frameworks mentioned
Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.