Platforms vs Architecture Astronautics

The excellent Superstruct Manifesto addresses the tendency for developers to want to "rewrite" things, wholesale switch to new frameworks, jump on new tech, etc. vs. delivering real business value.

Another description for these people is Architecture Astronauts.

Platforms, at least the way I envision them, are the opposite of this.

They are incremental, not wholesale.

They are a part of our daily thinking, not some separate grandiose effort that will solve all of our problems.

They are largely invisible.

They leverage what we already have and make it better.

They are the responsibility of everyone, from the bottom to the top, not some elite team.

However, like personal habits, company platforms take discipline to implement and are sometimes difficult to get established.

There are exceptions, but if platform work is exciting and interesting, this is a warning flag -- you may be venturing into architecture astronautics. Generally, we need to block out time in our schedule to work on platforms as it does not just happen because it is fun -- kind of like brushing your teeth and exercising.

But in the end, platforms make the difference whether you have a sustainable business or just some talented individuals. And just like exercising, or cleaning up our workspace, it is very satisfying afterward.