Part I: Understanding Platforms

There must be something about platforms. According to a report compiled in 2020, 7 of the 10 most valuable companies in 2018 based their success on a platform business model. Ten years earlier, in 2008, that number was zero. Many technology companies provide technology platforms, such as cloud platforms, that enable other businesses with modern IT infrastructure. Either type of organization might use internal developer platforms to increase their development speed, and a data platform to make business decisions. And virtually all of them operate on the internet, which is perhaps the ultimate innovation platform.

As we quickly discover, the term “platform” is overloaded and can mean different things in different contexts. It is therefore beneficial to look at what makes platforms different from prior approaches such as frameworks or common services, when something should actually be called a platform, and how platforms deliver benefits for your organization.

This part considers the platforms both in the business and technology space to set the context for diving deeper into designing successful platforms:

• Standing on the Shoulders of Giants examines the history and key properties of platforms.
• The Fab Four of Technology Platforms catalogs different types of platforms that you are likely to encounter.