Gartner projects that 80% of large software engineering organisations will establish platform engineering teams to provide reusable services, components, and tools via platforms for application delivery by 2026. Gartner Analyst Bill Blosen discussed how GenAI is taking platform engineering to the next level, how these platforms work, and how easy it is to find the teams to build and maintain them.
"Platform engineering has recently been a top strategic trend in the industry from Gartner's perspective. It's the application of product management principles to internal developer tooling for software developers and software development. With the increasing complexity of cloud-based development, platform engineering enables these developers to be more efficient in their day-to-day activities," said Blosen.
Culture of optionality
He also emphasizes the importance of promoting a culture of optionality, where leadership does not dictate the platform but rather provides a range of options from which teams can choose based on their specific needs and preferences.
"It is an optional paved road forward for the teams to gravitate toward. And if that platform is compelling, that paved road is better than the current solution for engineers," he added.
Blosen adds that the culture of optionality allows organisations to gravitate towards it and provide better value, lifting frustration off an organisation's top engineers.
Impact
"Platform engineering is already making a significant impact across industries," Blosen said, highlighting the potential for transformation. He shared examples of a leading athletic gear company and an investment banking company, both of which have reaped the benefits of platform engineering. These companies have built platforms that enable quicker response time to change, acceleration of market, increased scalability, and decreased operating costs.
Generative AI
Blosen also shared an exciting prospect for the future of platform engineering-the introduction of generative AI tools. These tools, he explained, will significantly enhance the capabilities of engineering teams, paving the way for a new era of software development.
"In the future, we envision software engineers not writing code. They may simply interact with a generative AI bot and ask it to assemble the necessary components. The platform engineering approach can look different across companies depending on your developers' needs," he said.
Getting started
Getting started with platform engineering is a journey that Gartner believes should be embarked upon with a collaborative spirit. It's vital to start small with the thinnest viable platform and focus on growing as you validate efficacy and usage. Then, organisations can begin treating the platform as a product and work with end users to identify and prioritise the most valuable tools and capabilities.
Throughout this process, Gartner reminds organisations to build a culture based on product management, and encourages platform engineering teams to collaborate with end-user developers regularly, ensuring that everyone's needs and perspectives are considered.
Originally posted on Gartner
