alexe-ev Develop Platform Product Thinking
Purpose
Help teams apply platform product thinking to define a clear developer experience, extension model, and ecosystem strategy.
Skill type
Conceptual skill
Use this skill when
- A product is evolving into a platform with external developers or partners
- An API product needs developer experience strategy
- A team is deciding how much to expose vs. internalize in a platform
- An ecosystem or marketplace strategy needs to be defined
Do not use this skill when
- The goal is technical API design (a technical, not product, skill)
- The goal is internal tool or workflow automation
Required inputs
- Product type and current capabilities
- Developer or partner audience
Optional inputs
- Current API or integration surface
- Developer feedback
- Competitive platform landscape
- Business model for the platform
Upstream context
Works best when:
- Product strategy is defined
- Target developer segment is identified
Downstream handoff
Output can feed:
- prioritize-architecture-aware (platform strategy informs architectural priorities)
- develop-positioning-messaging (platform needs developer-facing positioning)
Instructions
- Define the platform layer: what does it expose, to whom, and why?
- Identify the developer/partner value proposition.
- Define the developer experience principles.
- Assess the extensibility model: open / controlled / hybrid.
- Identify ecosystem opportunities and risks.
- Define the build vs. partner vs. ecosystem boundary.
Output
Provide:
- Platform layer definition
- Developer/partner value proposition
- Developer experience principles
- Extensibility model recommendation
- Ecosystem opportunity and risk assessment
- Build vs. partner boundary decision
- Open questions
Risks / caveats
- Platform products have two customers: end users and developers — both must win
- Over-opening a platform creates quality and support risks
- Developer adoption requires excellent documentation — factor it into the platform plan