I went straight into talking about scale and shared infrastructure, which felt right in the moment but I think I skipped over the more important part: who's asking for it and why now.
Start by clarifying the problem and user need, then evaluate whether a platform solution is justified by scale, reuse, and strategic alignment. Emphasize that platforms are investments that must deliver compounding value, not just technical elegance.
Pro tip: Frame the decision in terms of opportunity cost: building a platform means not building other things, so the bar should be high. Also, consider starting with a thin platform layer or internal tools before committing to a full platform.
Confirm that the problem is real, recurring, and affects multiple teams or products. Talk to stakeholders and gather data on frequency and impact.
Determine if the solution can be reused across multiple use cases or teams, and whether the scale justifies the investment. Look for common patterns and duplication.
Check if the platform aligns with company strategy and delivers a positive return on investment (e.g., faster time-to-market, reduced costs). Compare build vs. buy vs. partner options.
Assess whether the team has the capacity, skills, and culture to build and maintain a platform. Platforms require ongoing investment and cross-functional collaboration.
If the platform is justified, begin with a minimal viable platform (MVP) to test assumptions and demonstrate value before scaling. Define success metrics and iterate based on feedback.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.