Why onboarding is critical to a successful platform engineering rollout

Platform engineering is playing an increasingly important role in boosting developer efficiency and productivity in Australia. Platform engineering has evolved as a strong response to traditional developer challenges, and enterprises across Asia–Pacific are now rapidly implementing it. In my experience of working with platform teams, I’ve discovered a consistent weak spot: the user onboarding journey. Organisations of all sizes often overlook the initial user interaction with their platform, which can significantly hinder adoption.

According to the diffusion of innovations theory, the 16% user adoption mark represents a critical threshold where an innovation transitions from the early market to the mainstream market. Innovators and early adopters drive the initial adoption, as they are willing to accept imperfect experiences due to curiosity or strategic vision. However, broader adoption requires appealing to the early majority with more refined solutions.

The early majority, representing 34% of users, therefore becomes crucial for mainstream success. They demand demonstrated value, proven stability, and intuitive usability. This shift in user expectations creates a gap that numerous platform initiatives fail to address. Your initial adopters may overlook flaws or points of friction in your onboarding experience, but mainstream users will not. Below are three tips to ensure successful platform engineering adoption.

1. Establish a unique and lasting brand identity

Given that your platform’s brand identity will be users’ first point of contact with your solution, choose something distinctive. This should be straightforward to communicate within your company without referencing specific tools or frameworks. Strong platform brand identities typically:

• Communicate benefits rather than the underlying infrastructure: Consider names like ‘Runway’ that highlight the intended value proposition rather than technical terms like ‘K8sPipeline’.
• Use clear and memorable terms that capture the platform's mission: Will someone grasp and remember it after a single mention? Simple, easy-to-pronounce choices, like ‘Beacon’, often outperform complex alternatives like ‘Syzygy’.
   

On the other hand, avoid these common naming mistakes:

• Highlighting the number of versions in the name: This can suggest failed past iterations and lead to questions about durability.
• Forgettable names: For example, choosing a forgettable three-letter combination that is indistinguishable from other abbreviations.
• Technology-focused names: These indicate a prioritisation of systems over user needs.
   

Initial perceptions are predominantly visual. Outdated or inconsistent interfaces can repel users despite strong underlying functionality. Focus on cohesive branding, thoughtful colour palettes and messaging tone. These elements may appear secondary, but they establish the foundation for user interaction.

Target clear, personable communication instead of technical terminology. An accessible voice makes your platform welcoming to a diverse team of members across various departments and skill levels.

2. Eliminate onboarding roadblocks

While customer experiences tend to drive decision-making for many enterprises, they too often neglect the developer experience. Organisations frequently dedicate months to refining platform capabilities while ignoring the fundamental requirement: a smooth, effortless experience for developers.

I’ve observed this pattern across companies of all sizes and sectors. Typical obstacles include:

• Manual onboarding processes for a platform advertised as self-service. When full automation isn’t feasible, handle human tasks asynchronously as much as possible.
• Lengthy approval workflows or restrictions that prevent immediate testing. One great solution to this is to offer immediate, temporary access to your platform for free for 30 days. This is long enough for someone to decide if your platform helps them and raise the necessary request to gain full access.
• Required training before platform use. Training is valuable, but it should be required shortly after joining the platform rather than being a prerequisite.

3. Implement end-to-end support infrastructure

Just as ongoing support is crucial after purchasing and deploying new software, even the best platforms require immediate, responsive support to build trust with users. Your primary objectives during support interactions should be to minimise user frustration and maintain momentum. To achieve this, develop a robust support structure using diverse channels such as:

• Ticketing systems that offer tracking and integration with existing workflows
• Email correspondence to handle complex topics requiring thorough explanation
• Real-time chat to enable immediate problem resolution when users are actively working
• Documentation hubs to provide self-service answers to common questions.
   

Stay accessible through your users’ preferred communication methods, even if that requires monitoring several platforms. Respond to chat requests within an hour and consistently share solutions publicly, so the entire community benefits from the resolutions.

Successful platform teams nurture the user experience

The foundation of platform engineering excellence isn’t selecting optimal technologies. It’s rooted in empathy and understanding. The most successful platform teams are the ones that nurture a deep understanding of the daily realities of developers, security professionals and operations specialists. They recognise the constraints these teams navigate, their success measurements, and the obstacles that cause the most friction.

Companies that emphasise user experience from launch gain significant advantages in adoption rates and user engagement. By developing smooth onboarding workflows, comprehensive documentation and reliable support channels, you can convert the user experience from a challenging one to a delightful one.

Keep in mind that platform users face a significant choice: whether your solution merits their attention and trust. A carefully designed onboarding experience demonstrates respect for that commitment and substantially improves your potential for organisation-wide acceptance.

Image credit: iStock.com/cnythzl