DESIGNING FOR HABITABILITY
Creating Fit For Purpose Platforms
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Mies_van_der_Rohe#/media/File:S.R._Crown_Hall.jpg

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The Platform

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https://
fl
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Habitability

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HABITABILITY
“Habitability is the characteristic of source code that enables
programmers coming to the code later in its life to understand
its construction and intentions and to change it comfortably
and con
fi
dently.”
- Richard Gabriel

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We have a responsibility to create working
environments that make our colleagues lives
easier

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LUDWIG MIES VAN DER ROHE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Mies_van_der_Rohe#/media/File:2004-09-02_1580x2800_chicago_IBM_building.jpg

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LUDWIG MIES VAN DER ROHE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Mies_van_der_Rohe#/media/File:2004-09-02_1580x2800_chicago_IBM_building.jpg

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https://openconstructionbuildingtechnologyjournal.com/VOLUME/13/PAGE/81/FULLTEXT/

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https://openconstructionbuildingtechnologyjournal.com/VOLUME/13/PAGE/81/FULLTEXT/

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Providing core services

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Providing core services
Recognising that the architect could not
predict how the space would be used

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Shift Left

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TEAM TOPOLOGIES

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STREAM ALIGNED TEAMS

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STREAM ALIGNED TEAMS
Stock
Management
Purchase Promotions

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STREAM ALIGNED TEAMS
Focused on a valuable
stream of work
Stock
Management
Purchase Promotions

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STREAM ALIGNED TEAMS
Focused on a valuable
stream of work
Stock
Management
Purchase Promotions

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STREAM ALIGNED TEAMS
Focused on a valuable
stream of work
Long-lived “product”
oriented rather than
project oriented
Stock
Management
Purchase Promotions

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STREAM ALIGNED TEAMS
Focused on a valuable
stream of work
Long-lived “product”
oriented rather than
project oriented
Has ownership of their
assets
Stock
Management
Purchase Promotions

@samnewman
STREAM ALIGNED TEAMS
Focused on a valuable
stream of work
Long-lived “product”
oriented rather than
project oriented
Has ownership of their
assets
Stock
Management
Purchase Promotions

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It’s ok, I’ve got a platform!

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Pitfalls and Tips

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Wat?

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https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/international-automotive-scene/87351-worlds-most-expensive-clamping-koenigsegg-ccxr-
lamborghini-murcielago-superveloce.html

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Pitfall 1: Not enabling self-
service

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Teams empowered to make
decisions and get thing done

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AWS’s killer feature is
supporting self service

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Top Tip: Trust your people

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2009

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“We’re like a utility - we just
sell electricity”

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https://
fl
ickr.com/photos/spurekar/48898338131/

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Having cool tools isn’t
enough - you have to help
people use them

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Pitfall 2: Not helping people
use the tools well

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The job of the platform team
should not be just about
building a platform…

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…it should be about
enablement

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Does your platform team do
outreach? Training? Spend
time embedded with other
teams?

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If not, they can become just
another silo

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Top Tip: Treat your microservice
platform like a product

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https://landscape.cncf.io/images/landscape.png

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Top Tip: It’s OK to provide a
curated experience

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Governance

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Deciding how things should
be done, and making sure
they are done

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Pitfall 3: Trying to implement
governance through tooling

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“You must use the platform!”

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Forcing people to use your
platform isn’t about enablement,
it’s about control

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Shadow IT

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If you make it hard for people
to do their jobs, people will
likely either bypass your
controls, or leave

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Be clear about what needs to
be done, and why

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Then make it as easy as possible
to do the right thing

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https://
fl
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Top Tip: Provide a paved road

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Top Tip: Make the platform
optional

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This will ensure that the
platorm owners are focused
on ease of use

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It also allows for alternative
solutions where warranted

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A paved road - not a railroad
track!

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PITFALLS - IN SUMMARY
Not enabling self-service

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PITFALLS - IN SUMMARY
Not enabling self-service
Not helping people use the tools well

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PITFALLS - IN SUMMARY
Not enabling self-service
Not helping people use the tools well
Trying to implement governance through
tooling

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TOP TIPS - IN SUMMARY

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TOP TIPS - IN SUMMARY
Trust your people

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TOP TIPS - IN SUMMARY
Trust your people
Treat your platform like a product

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TOP TIPS - IN SUMMARY
Trust your people
Treat your platform like a product
It’s OK to provide a curated experience

@samnewman
TOP TIPS - IN SUMMARY
Trust your people
Treat your platform like a product
It’s OK to provide a curated experience
Provide a paved road

@samnewman
TOP TIPS - IN SUMMARY
Trust your people
Treat your platform like a product
It’s OK to provide a curated experience
Provide a paved road
Make the platform optional

But distilling it all down?

It all starts with trusting
your people

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THANKS!
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