Defining a Platform

When I started my role as KOHO’s Director of Platform Engineering, I quickly learned something important about platforms: they tend to have enigmatic definitions, and, as a result, they are devilishly hard to deliver well.

Everyone uses the word “platform,” but few agree on what it means. This ambiguity creates real problems when you’re trying to build one.

Start with Users, Not Technology

To better define the term “Platform,” I suggest starting by defining its users. There are two dimensions to think about:

1. Is the user intra-function or inter-function?

Are they another developer, or do they work in finance, compliance, customer success, or another part of the organization?

This matters because:

• Developer-facing platforms prioritize APIs, documentation, and developer experience
• Cross-functional platforms need intuitive UIs, training, and support channels

2. What problem are they solving?

A platform exists to amplify the capabilities of its users. Understanding their goals—not just their immediate requests—shapes everything from feature prioritization to success metrics.

The Platform Spectrum

At KOHO, we think about platforms across a spectrum:

• Infrastructure platforms abstract away cloud complexity and provide consistent deployment patterns
• Data platforms democratize access to insights across the organization
• Product platforms enable rapid experimentation and feature delivery
• Operational platforms streamline workflows for non-technical teams

Each requires different design principles, different success metrics, and different support models.

Building for the Long Term

A well-designed platform should:

1. Reduce cognitive load - Users shouldn’t need to understand the underlying complexity
2. Enable self-service - The best platforms scale without proportional scaling of the platform team
3. Provide guardrails, not gates - Enable speed while maintaining safety
4. Evolve with users - Regular feedback loops and iteration

The KOHO Approach

At KOHO, our internal platform is instrumental in building our external platform for transforming the financial well-being of Canadians. The two are deeply connected—the speed and reliability we achieve internally translates directly to the experience we deliver to our users.

Platform engineering isn’t just about building tools. It’s about understanding your users deeply and giving them leverage they didn’t know was possible.

---

Originally published on the KOHO Tech Blog.