Choosing wisely: A consultant's blueprint for developer portal selection
Beyond the portal: A strategic approach to platform selection
We recently partnered with a global industrial leader renowned for their advanced software and heavy-duty equipment. Their mission: To optimize internal development tools, starting with the selection of a developer portal. However, they faced a common challenge—a preconceived notion of "portal" and a siloed decision-making process. We stepped in not just to recommend a tool but to guide them through a strategic selection process, which involved thoroughly vetting available options, a deep dive into developer needs, and a shift towards a product-driven mindset.
This is how we helped them navigate the complexities of platform selection, ensuring they chose a solution that truly empowers their development teams.
Platforms and portals: Building the foundation
In today's fast-paced software development world, robust internal developer platforms (IDPs) are no longer a luxury but a necessity. The kicker though is that many organizations confuse platforms with portals. Think of it this way: The platform is the powerhouse engine, the core infrastructure that drives your development. The portal? That's the sleek dashboard, the user-friendly interface that lets developers interact with that engine.
We advocated a platform-first approach, suggesting the portal come later. Why? Building a solid foundation of APIs and abstracted services first ensures agility and scalability. Imagine trying to build a house on a shaky foundation—it just won't stand. By prioritizing the platform, you empower your team to focus on core functionality, API-driven flexibility, and robust automation. We initially recommended Kratix, given their established expertise, but the customer had a strong preference for a portal-only solution, so we adapted.
Narrowing down the field
Choosing the right developer portal isn't like picking a flavor of ice cream. It's a complex investigation that demands a deep understanding of your organization's tech stack, workflows, and pain points. We knew we had to play detective, gathering clues from developers, DevOps teams, and management alike.
Our goal was to sift through the vast landscape of over twenty portals and platforms and emerge with a shortlist of top contenders. We weren't just looking at features; we were looking at fit.
Here's how we did it:
- The data dive:
- We started by compiling a comprehensive list of available portals and platforms and contacting vendors for demos and pricing.
- We organized this data into a structured spreadsheet for easy evaluation.
- The interview room:
- We held in-depth sessions with DevOps engineers, cloud engineers, management, and developers, uncovering their pain points and needs.
- We analyzed their existing tech landscape, understanding their tools, languages, and workflows.
- The key criteria:
- We identified the critical selection criteria, weighing each factor on a 0-5 scale. This wasn't just a wishlist; it was a blueprint.
- Compliance, maturity, setup, features, and cost—every detail mattered.
- The decision matrix:
- We scored each portal against our criteria, creating a clear and objective comparison.
- The final report:
- We delivered a comprehensive report outlining our findings and recommendations. This wasn't just a list of features; it was a story of how we arrived at the perfect portal.
- We then narrowed the choices to portals only and delivered the final recommendation.
Beyond the tools: The consultant’s advantage
Here's the secret sauce: We're not just tech experts but business strategists. We understand DevOps has two sides: The technical and the business. Our goal is to ensure our guidance aligns with the overall business requirements, not just the immediate needs of the development team.
By prioritizing real developer needs and considering practical constraints, we guided them to the best developer portal for their teams and business. A true business-centric approach based on our expertise and experience.
Published:
