In the field of software engineering, we often talk about using or building a “platform.” Let’s talk about what that really means and the principles for how to build a great platform. What is a Platfo...

I've been working for over 20 years in the field of "developer experience," where we help developers be more effective, efficient, and happy, by improving tools, systems, and processes. I have been intimately involved in designing key aspects of the developer experience at Google and LinkedIn, have been very involved with the research community in this space, and I'm constantly in touch with developer experience leaders at every major tech company.

Sometimes, I have to explain software development to people who are not software developers. Over the years, I have come up with an analogy that explains what software development is like and its processes. I have successfully used it to explain software development to a 9-year-old kid, including advanced concepts like cybersecurity and so forth. I figure others might benefit from it, so here it is: Imagine that you live in a world without computers. You are the owner of a custom car factory, where people can write down on pieces of paper any car they want in the world,