Yonit Gruber-Hazani, a customer engineer at Google Cloud, shares insights on the patterns and anti-patterns of platform engineering and how it facilitates cloud migration.
As organizations increasingly embrace cloud computing, the need for efficient and streamlined migration processes becomes paramount. Platform engineering emerges as a solution to address the cognitive load and complexity associated with this transition. Yonit Gruber-Hazani, a customer engineer at Google Cloud, recently discussed the importance of a platform-as-a-product mindset in facilitating cloud migration. In this article, we explore the patterns and anti-patterns of platform engineering, highlighting its role in reducing cognitive load and enabling developers to focus on building applications.
The Need for Platform Engineering
Gruber-Hazani begins her talk by illustrating a scenario where a new developer joins a team and is expected to set up their own laptop, install the necessary software, and configure various systems. This approach, she argues, adds unnecessary cognitive load and hinders developer productivity. Instead, she suggests that organizations should adopt a platform engineering approach, providing developers with a pre-configured environment that allows them to focus on their core tasks.
Developer Experience and Cognitive Load
Gruber-Hazani emphasizes the importance of developer experience (DevEx) in determining productivity, happiness at work, and overall quality. She identifies three metrics that impact DevEx: flow state, feedback loops, and cognitive load. Flow state refers to the state of deep concentration and enjoyment that developers experience when fully engaged in their work. Feedback loops, such as code reviews and response times, play a crucial role in maintaining productivity. Cognitive load, on the other hand, refers to the mental processing required to perform tasks and can hinder developer creativity and value delivery.
What is Platform Engineering?
Gruber-Hazani outlines the common patterns of platform engineering, including repeatable tooling and models like Infrastructure as Code, self-service capabilities through APIs, and the provision of a one-to-many “vending machine of services.” Platform engineering involves creating paved roads within guardrails, ensuring organization-specific workflows, and addressing common needs such as monitoring, logging, security, and testing infrastructure. By providing these services, platform teams aim to reduce technical complexity, increase development speed, and enforce safety and security measures.
Talk to Your Users
A key aspect of platform engineering is adopting a platform-as-a-product mindset, which involves treating the platform as a product and continuously seeking feedback from internal users. Gruber-Hazani emphasizes the importance of understanding user needs and preferences to improve developer experience, recruitment, and retention. By engaging in a continuous conversation with developers, platform teams can gather insights, address pain points, and align their platform strategy with user expectations.
Platform Engineering at Larger Organizations
Gruber-Hazani discusses the unique challenges faced by larger organizations in implementing platform engineering. These organizations often deal with complex cloud costs and procurement processes, requiring the adoption of FinOps practices to track and optimize cloud spending. She advises starting with less complex systems and gradually expanding the platform to avoid overwhelming complexity and technical debt. As platform maturity progresses, additional requirements such as incident management, infrastructure as code, and cross-organizational architectural standards emerge.
Conclusion:
Platform engineering offers a solution to the cognitive load and complexity associated with cloud migration. By providing developers with a pre-configured environment and addressing common needs through a platform-as-a-product approach, organizations can reduce cognitive load, increase productivity, and improve developer experience. Whether in smaller or larger organizations, continuous feedback and collaboration with internal users are crucial for refining the platform strategy and ensuring its alignment with user needs. As organizations embrace cloud computing, platform engineering emerges as a vital component in enabling a smooth and efficient migration process.
