Bad idea: Platforms automatically improve productivity

Jason Yip's insightful analysis reveals why simply calling something a 'platform' doesn't automatically improve productivity. True platforms reduce effort cost by consolidating operating expenses and enabling capability reuse, but poorly designed platforms can make productivity worse through constant migrations, excessive constraints, and bottlenecks. Engineering leaders will learn that platforms improve productivity only when they adopt a 'platform as product' mindset, where platform teams act as if product teams have choices, rather than mandating solutions. The key insight is that effective platforms emerge when teams would choose to use them voluntarily.