Last week, the Syntasso team and I had great fun at the annual Fast Flow Conference. This conference focuses on the approach and methodologies described in Team Topologies by Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais, and it brings together an eclectic mix of folks from platform engineering, product management, engineering management, business analysis, agile coaching, and more.
The presentations were amazing, and all our chats at the booth and around the venue were super interesting. I’ve tried to summarise our key learning below, and you can find links to all of the talk recordings via the Fast Flow Conf website.
Key themes: Fast value, APIs, continuous stewardship
Manuel Pais kicked off the event and reiterated the need for organizations to optimize for fast value delivery to end customers—a message that resonated throughout the day's presentations. He also emphasised the need to focus on unblocking others within the organisation and the value that platforms can provide.
Sarah Wells delivered a compelling keynote, echoing Will Larson’s sentiments on the constraints migration can have on the velocity of both delivery and adaptation within an organisation. She also highlighted the strategic advantage of favouring APIs when using infrastructure as code (IaC):
"Favour APIs over templates. Infrastructure as code is not just about storing config files in version control. APIs, abstractions, and automation are key,"
Rachael Wonnacott and Dan Young emphasized the human element in organizational transformation. They argued that preparing people to engage effectively is crucial when driving change, particularly in building robust platforms.
Matthew Skelton called for a radical mindset of continuous stewardship to unlock decision-making, distinguishing between ownership and stewardship in the context of evolving software-enabled services.
"As software-enabled services become ubiquitous and life-altering, a radical mindset of continuous stewardship is needed to unlock decision-making for success."
Practical Advice for Building Effective Platforms
One of my highlights was watching a panel focusing on building effective platforms as products moderated by Jennifer Riggins.
Emma Dahl Jeppesen and Cat Morris shared practical advice on platform construction. Emma focused on solving real pain points for customers and developers, while Cat discussed the concept of a "thinnest viable platform" that supports developers in brownfield environments to deliver comprehensive value.
"A thinnest viable platform should enable developers to accomplish a job to be done. You're practically always building on brownfield environments, and a platform should enable developers to deliver end-to-end value"
Karen Martin and Maria Lepp discussed the significance of DORA metrics and how a well-designed portal can enhance visibility into the engineering process, improving the flow of value.
Jennifer also introduced an interesting perspective on the often-overlooked aspect of platform documentation, suggesting that Generative AI might play a transformative role in assisting developers who traditionally resist documentation tasks.
Collaborative Platform Development
Cansu Kavılı Örnek and Anna Ciula shared a poignant reminder: "Build a platform with developers, not for developers," highlighting the importance of inclusive and collaborative platform development practices.
Daniel Terhorst-North and Susanne Kaiser brought insights into organizational design and innovation. Daniel discussed the dynamic nature of stable teams and the benefits of allowing teams to self-form to tackle different projects. Susanne Kaiser explored how integrating Wardley Maps, Domain-Driven Design (DDD), and Team Topologies can significantly enhance organizational capabilities.
Closing Thoughts
The conference concluded with a panel with Rachael Wonnacott and keynote speakers Manuel and Sarah. They provided reminders about the importance of “meeting others where they are at”, making work processes transparent, and focusing on removing obstacles to progress. It also emphasized the need to optimize platforms and services for ease of adoption and discovery.
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