What Is A Platform Business?
The term "platform" is used in a variety of contexts. Early on, it was often a synonym for "operating system," but today it's used to describe a variety of scenarios.
Platform businesses create an environment of promiscuous integration as a way to accelerate operations, get closer to customers and partners, unlock innovation, and discover efficiencies.
Platform businesses have a number of attributes in common. These include:
- Platforms are open. A "proprietary platform" isn't.
- Platforms can be built upon.
- No one should have to ask you permission or pay you money to start building on your platform (although platforms can ultimately be both commercial and non-commercial).
- Platforms attract communities of builders. To thrive, these communities should be managed and nurtured.
- Building a community around your platform enables you to build your business more effectively with the enthusiastic help of customers, suppliers and partners.
- Platforms scale efficiently. Self-service access and low barriers to entry are cornerstones of this.
- Platforms do not discriminate between small and large builders. Some platforms enable small builders to compete on a level playing field and disrupt incumbent businesses.
- A platform is a two-way contract between the platform provider and the builders that utilize the platform.
- Platforms can be managed in a way that encourages positive outcomes for the platform business as well as customers and builders.
- Platforms can facilitate unexpected outcomes. This is usually a good thing, if it's managed properly.
At Platform Associates, we're here to help you build your platform business. Contact us to learn more.
LogLogic Developer Community Launched
Today our client LogLogic launched their first developer community site.
Platform Associates assisted with the strategic planning that went into the new Log Logic developer site, as well as the development of the site, inclusing content architechture and the implementation of the content management and community features for the site. The LogLogic platform enables third-party developers to use web APIs to create log management applications using LogLogic's line of log analysis appliances.
McManus: Develop iPhone Apps without the iPhone SDK
In the interview, McManus criticizes Apple's closed strategy and encourage developers to build Web applications that target the iPhone's Webkit browser. Since Web applications can be developed in nearly any programming language and don't require Apple's permission to deploy, they're an ideal way to support mobile devices without enduring vendor lock-in.
