Don’t build bigger platforms than needed

I’m currently reading Team Topologies¹ and was seeing this quote on page 101:

[S]oftware developers love building platforms and, without strong product management input, will create a bigger platform than needed. (Allan Kelly)

This reminded me of the idea of satisficing and optimizing mindsets. In an optimizing mindset you try to make the best choice, build the best solution or the best platform. In the satisficing mindset you make a good enough choice, you build a solution that works for what it is meant for and a platform that does its job.

Building the best solution ever incurs additional effort and cost which is only justified if it gives you a competitive edge.

1. Matthew Skelton, Manuel Pais: Team Topologies. Organizing Business And Technology Teams For Fast Flow. IT Revelotuion Press, Portland, 2019 ↩