Engineering platforms promise to simplify workflows, accelerate delivery, and empower teams, but what happens when the very users they’re designed for actively resist adopting them? Beneath the frustration lies a powerful truth: platforms often fail because they’re built with good intentions but miss the mark on developer needs.

In this session, we’ll explore platform adoption from the user’s perspective, unpacking the key reasons why engineers might reject a platform. From rigid workflows and poor developer experience to a lack of trust or misaligned incentives, we’ll examine the real-world friction points that prevent success.

Attendees will gain practical insights into how to better understand user needs, foster collaboration between platform teams and developers, and make iterative improvements that address real-world challenges. This session will provide a view on building platforms that engineers genuinely find useful and want to adopt.