Platform as a product: Are we nearly there yet? - Paula Kennedy | PlatformCon 2025

Applying a product mindset to internal platforms remains a significant challenge for many organizations, despite over a decade of industry advocacy. While successful teams leverage product management techniques to align platform development with user needs, widespread adoption is hindered by cultural resistance, limited funding, and a fear of negative feedback. Data from the Puppet State of DevOps report and various case studies, including uSwitch and Realtor.com, demonstrate that treating platforms as products—prioritizing user research, continuous improvement, and internal evangelism—directly correlates with increased deployment frequency and business value. To accelerate progress, organizations should integrate dedicated product management roles, observe user workflows directly, and maintain a "drink your own champagne" approach to ensure the platform remains intuitive and frictionless. Ultimately, evolving an internal platform requires shifting from a project-based mindset to a continuous, user-centric product lifecycle.