Internal developer platforms often fail not because of technical shortcomings, but because they are approached as infrastructure projects rather than products built with developers in mind. In this session, Max Körbächer and Andreas Grabner share their combined experience designing platforms across a range of enterprise use cases, offering practical guidance for creating platforms that deliver lasting value.
The talk examines why infrastructure-first approaches often lead to low adoption and how shifting to a product mindset can drive platform success. Attendees will learn how to uncover developer needs, define the right abstractions, and evolve platforms in step with organizational growth. The session will also cover patterns for managing technical debt, enabling self-service capabilities, and measuring platform effectiveness through meaningful metrics. Attendees will leave with clear strategies to build platforms that developers choose to use - not ones they are forced to adopt.