platform-strategy

SKILL.md

Framework-based guidance for designing and executing platform business strategies across marketplaces, ecosystems, and developer platforms.

Covers platform lifecycle stages (moat-building, opening, closing) and helps identify which network effects and participant sides drive value

Emphasizes treating platforms as products with dedicated management, reducing cognitive load through clear interfaces, and building comprehensive systems rather than isolated features

Includes governance and trust design patterns, plus guidance on incremental investment based on adoption signals rather than upfront bets

Flags common pitfalls: building in isolation, over-investing before validation, skipping the moat phase, and feature-first thinking instead of systems thinking

Platform Strategy

Help the user design and execute platform business strategies using frameworks from 24 product leaders who have built and scaled platforms.

How to Help

When the user asks for help with platform strategy:

Understand the platform type - Clarify whether they're building a marketplace, API platform, ecosystem, or developer platform

Identify the network effects - Help them understand which sides of the platform create value for each other

Assess the lifecycle stage - Determine if they're in the moat-building, opening, or closing phase

Design for trust and governance - Help them think through the rules that will govern platform participants

Core Principles

Treat internal platforms as products

Camille Fournier: "Platform engineering is not just maintaining cloud infrastructure... platforms are products, ultimately. You should be thinking about how do I create coherent offerings that make this company more productive?" Internal platforms need dedicated product management and focus on user (developer) productivity, not just technical elegance.