Bingeing the Basics

Product, Platform, Tool, Service, Methodology

As builders, testers, custodians of software assets we often use the terms product, platform, solution, tools, and services. Guilty of taking creative liberties with the meanings of these terms, I wanted to revisit the basic basics.

Platforms separate out the logical functions of applications so that an IT structure can be built for change. On the other hand, products (or applications or solutions) are built for a predefined business logic that narrows their ultimate breadth of scope. Platforms are structures that can allow multiple products to be built within the same technical or business or domain framework. While Products are at a higher level of abstraction and cater to a set of business capabilities.

The business model for platforms and products is fundamentally different. Products are built for consumers. Monetized and governed by the product owners. Products onboard consumers that use the product capabilities to conduct transactions. Platforms are built for the ecosystem of producers and consumers. Platforms define who participates, how they divide or share value, and how to resolve conflicts and govern the platform. Platforms need producers to create value and in turn present it to consumers.

Touching on the nuances of applications and solutions. Solutions look at software from the consumer lens i.e. what and how the problem or need is addressed by the software. Example- Facebook gives you a solution to ‘knowing what your friends are up to’.

Applications are case in point solutions. Application software is commonly defined as any program(s) designed for end-users. End user programs like Microsoft Excel or web browser are tagged as applications.

A software tool is a set of computer programs that are used by the developers to create, maintain, debug, or support other applications and programs. One teams product or platform will be another team’s tool.

The term service refers to a software functionality or a set of software functionalities that different consumers can reuse for different purposes. A services is governed by policies that control its usage.

For design, development, and management of any of these software assets there are two prevalent approaches Product management methodology and Project management methodology. The methodology followed determines how the build is executed i.e. what is delivered when, and what are the prioritization factors.

And therein rests my case.