{"id":2867,"date":"2026-01-18T12:50:46","date_gmt":"2026-01-18T12:50:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/?page_id=2867"},"modified":"2026-01-20T22:30:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T22:30:21","slug":"vsm-platforms","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/vsm-platforms\/","title":{"rendered":"See Platforms as Value Streams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2>\n\t\t\tSee Platforms as Value Streams\t<\/h2>\n\t<strong>This article was originally written in February 2023 for the VSM consortium blog.<\/strong><br \/>\nThe Value Stream Management Consortium became <strong>Flowtopia<\/strong> in October 2025. If you are not yet a member, we invite you to visit\u00a0<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/flowtopia.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">flowtopia.io<\/a>\u00a0and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flowtopia.io\/checkout\/flow-pro-membership?affiliate_code=f836d3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>join us<\/strong><\/a>. The full article was reposted on the blog of the new Flowtopia platform <strong><a title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flowtopia.io\/c\/blog\/is-platform-engineering-a-value-stream\">here<\/a>.<\/strong>\n\t<strong>Addendum:<\/strong> Reading the brand-new <a tabindex=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/itrevolution.com\/product\/team-topologies-second-edition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-test-app-aware-link=\"\"><strong>second edition of Team Topologies<\/strong><\/a> by Manuel Pais and Matthew Skelton, and in particular its introductory note, reminded me of the convictions shared in this article written for the VSM Consortium. For example, it suggests that:\n<ul>\n<li>there can be several platforms, grouping together different teams;<\/li>\n<li>platform teams can benefit from adopting a value stream approach, in the same way as stream-aligned teams, even if they serve internal customers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t<blockquote><p><strong>&#8220;A platform is a grouping of teams providing a coherent capability or set of services to other teams.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote id=\"ember69\"><p><strong>\u00ab&#8230; where a &#8216;platform team&#8217; is really an alias for a &#8216;stream team aligned to an internal platform service inside a platform grouping&#8217;&#8230;&#8221;<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>\n\t\t\tIs Platform Engineering a Value Stream?\t<\/h3>\n\t<strong>YES<\/strong>, as a reflex response by applying the famous quote from John Shook and Mark Rother in their <strong>book <a tabindex=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leanuk.org\/product\/learning-to-see\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-test-app-aware-link=\"\">Learning to See<\/a><\/strong>:\n<blockquote id=\"ember72\"><p><strong>&#8220;Whenever there is a product for a customer, there is a value stream.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li>A platform is a product delivered to internal customers<\/li>\n<li>A platform brings value, even if senior managers can sometimes struggle to understand it according to the <strong>2023 State of Platform Engineering Report<\/strong> by Puppet<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t<p><strong>Addendum:<\/strong> The latest &#8220;<strong>State of Platform Engineering Report, Volume 4 (2025)<\/strong>&#8221; shows some progress but still significant gaps in the ability to define and measure realized value.<\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;<strong>29.6% of (platform) teams do not measure success at all<\/strong>, which underscores a major gap in accountability across the industry. <strong>This absence of measurement limits the ability to demonstrate value<\/strong>, guide investment decisions, and refine platform capabilities.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<h4>\n\t\t\tWhat Value is Delivered?\t<\/h4>\n\tClarifying the value expected by customers of the product or service is fundamental to the identification of value streams. In summary of its benefits, a platform brings both:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Technical value <\/strong>to its users by reducing their cognitive load, automating workflows, standardizing security and compliance policies, and improving their experience;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Business value<\/strong> to the enterprise by letting teams focus on delivering value to the end customers, using self-service capabilities that eliminate dependencies and enable a fast flow of software delivery.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>\n\t\t\tPlatform Teams are Aligned to a Value Stream to Deliver a Platform as a Product\t<\/h4>\n\t<strong>If the delivery of an application is well recognized as a value stream and named as such in the book <\/strong><a tabindex=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/2021\/08\/07\/book-team-topologies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-test-app-aware-link=\"\"><strong>Team Topologies<\/strong><\/a><strong> (&#8220;stream-aligned teams&#8221;), it is time to do the same for Platform Engineering. <\/strong>\n<strong>Platform teams<\/strong> are also aligned to a value stream to deliver products, services, or experiences to internal customers (see <a tabindex=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gartner.com\/en\/information-technology\/glossary\/value-stream\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-test-app-aware-link=\"\">Gartner&#8217;s definition of a value stream<\/a>).\nSo, IMO there are <strong>two types of product teams<\/strong>:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Application Teams <\/strong>responsible for Application Software Delivery (ASD) value streams, that we can name &#8220;Application &lt;x&gt; Team&#8221;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Platform Teams <\/strong>responsible for Software Delivery Platform (SDP) value streams, who provide support to Application Teams, and that we can name &#8220;Platform &lt;y&gt; Team&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Fig-1-Platforms-as-Value-Streams.jpeg\" alt=\"Fig 1 - Platforms as Value Streams\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"403\" width=\"605\" title=\"Fig 1 - Platforms as Value Streams\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t<strong>Notes on Naming Conventions:<\/strong>\n<strong>I always advocate naming teams for what they deliver, not for the techniques or methods they employ. <\/strong>This allows us to be clear about their mission and to let them evolve in the practices they apply. It also means we don&#8217;t localize an approach (agile, DevOps,&#8230;) on a particular team at the risk of letting it be interpreted that it does not concern everyone.\n<strong>I also prefer to use the term &#8220;Software Delivery Platform&#8221; (SDP)* rather than &#8220;Internal Developer Platform&#8221; (IDP)<\/strong> because these platforms are not only intended for developers but for multi-disciplinary product teams in charge of delivering software.\n<strong>Our naming decisions are important to facilitate the evolution towards a culture of teamwork breaking down the functional silos.<\/strong>\n*<em>And so do Fidelity Investments &#8211; check out their story <\/em><a tabindex=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/cd.foundation\/blog\/2023\/02\/07\/launching-cdf-user-stories-first-up-fidelity-investments\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-test-app-aware-link=\"\"><em>here<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em>\n<h4>\n\t\t\tConsider the Whole as a Value Stream Network\t<\/h4>\n\t<strong>In reality, an organization builds and maintains more than one platform (generally between 2 and 4 according to the Puppet report).<\/strong>\nEach platform provides self-service capabilities that can also be seen as individual products, and thus seen as more granular value streams. We then have a <a href=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/vsm-network\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>network of value streams<\/strong><\/a> that takes shape as shown in the example below:\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Fig-2-Value-Streams-Network.jpeg\" alt=\"Fig 2 - Value Streams Network\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"297\" width=\"605\" title=\"Fig 2 - Value Streams Network\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t<p><strong>Addendum:<\/strong> The latest &#8220;<strong>State of Platform Engineering Report, Volume 4 (2025)<\/strong>&#8221; confirms that most organizations now operate more than one platform.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><em>&#8220;As AI, data, and specialized workloads grow in importance, different teams require purpose-built platforms that address distinct needs and constraints&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h4>\n\t\t\tMap the Platform Engineering Value Streams\t<\/h4>\n\t<p>At a high level, Platform Engineering can be represented as <strong>an extended value stream<\/strong>, with its sequence of activities to continuously evolve the services provided by the platform(s):<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Fig-3-Platforms-as-Value-Streams.jpeg\" alt=\"Fig 3 - Platforms as Value Streams\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"284\" width=\"605\" title=\"Fig 3 - Platforms as Value Streams\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t<p>Once this has been achieved, in the same way as for application value streams, it is now possible to <a href=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/vsm-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>map the value streams<\/strong><\/a> further by distinguishing the workflows handling the different types of client requests (see our first article of this series of blog posts &#8220;<strong><a tabindex=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/13\/is-incident-management-a-value-stream\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-test-app-aware-link=\"\">Is Incident Management a Value Stream?<\/a><\/strong>&#8220;).<\/p>\n<h4>\n\t\t\tMake Value Visible! (Or Be Able to See the Forest for the Trees)\t<\/h4>\n\t<strong>What is crucial is to always maintain a systemic view focused on the <a href=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/value-driven\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">value<\/a> delivered to the end customers. <\/strong>\nThe efficiency of each of the internal platform&#8217;s value streams is only interesting in its alignment with the value delivered by the applications to their end users and the achievement of business outcomes for the company.\nThis is why the goals, metrics, and incentives of the platform teams need to be aligned with these business goals, the value to the customer and the enterprise, and improving the employee experience, and not with internal metrics of productivity, utilization rates, etc.\n<h4>\n\t\t\tTake-away\t<\/h4>\n\tTo conclude, YES, <strong>platform engineering should be seen as a value stream or more realistically as a part of <a href=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/vsm-network\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a network of value streams<\/a> whose global vision must be kept focused on achieving business outcomes.<\/strong>Otherwise, we risk falling back on the separation of responsibilities and the construction of new silos. We are not interested in local optimums; we&#8217;re in pursuit of global optimization.\n<strong>Platform Engineering<\/strong> is an interesting part of the possible answers to the challenges ahead, especially if we adopt a value stream management approach to their implementation. The Value Stream Management Consortium (now <a tabindex=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/flowtopia\/\" data-test-app-aware-link=\"\">Flowtopia<\/a> ) and its membership community of partners, consultants, or coaches like <strong>SD ReFocus<\/strong> can help you with this.\n#platformengineering #vsm #valuestream #valuestreamnetwork #valuestreamthinking #value #valuedelivery\n<h3>\n\t\t\tLinks\t<\/h3>\n\t<ul>\n<li>Our <a href=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/vsm-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Value Stream Mapping for Digital Teams services<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/vsm-network\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>See the Value Stream Network<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Links to &#8220;State of Platform Engineering Reports&#8221; in <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/resources\/industry-reports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>our index of industry reports<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/resources\/whitepaper-value-stream-mapping-for-software-delivery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Whitepaper Value Stream Mapping for Software Delivery<\/a> (2021)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Check out our <strong>articles and contributions to the VSM Consortium blog<\/strong> on our <a href=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/resources\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Resources<\/strong><\/a> page.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/value-driven-news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Value-Driven News<\/a>:<\/strong> A look at the latest advances in Value Stream Management to deliver greater value and streamline your workflows. <strong>LinkedIn newsletter\u00a0<\/strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/newsletters\/7248671317887995904\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here.<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Like to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flowtopia.io\/checkout\/flow-pro-membership?affiliate_code=f836d3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">join our growing Flowtopia community<\/a>?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>See Platforms as Value Streams This article was originally written in February 2023 for the VSM consortium blog. The Value Stream Management Consortium became Flowtopia in October 2025. If you are not yet a member, we invite you to visit\u00a0flowtopia.io\u00a0and join us. The full article was reposted on the blog of the new Flowtopia platform [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"unboxed","site-sidebar-style":"unboxed","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"enabled","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2867","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2867","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2867"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2867\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3021,"href":"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2867\/revisions\/3021"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sdrefocus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2867"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}