Platform Independence Model
Organizational architecture model enabling adaptive radiation: ventures share infrastructure but maintain decision-making autonomy.
Organizational architecture model enabling adaptive radiation: ventures share infrastructure but maintain decision-making autonomy. Based on three principles: (1) Shared infrastructure, independent products; (2) Two-pizza teams with clear ownership; (3) Platforms with boundary rules.
When to Use Platform Independence Model
Use when structuring organizations for diversification, building platforms that enable multiple products, or preventing venture homogenization while maintaining economies of scale.
How to Apply
Identify Core Shared Capabilities
Determine which capabilities all products need (customer data, payments, compliance, etc.).
Outputs
- Core capability inventory
Build as Shared Services with APIs
Extract core capabilities into standalone services with stable API contracts.
Outputs
- Platform services
- API documentation
Create Two-Pizza Teams
Assign each niche/product to dedicated small team (6-10 people) with P&L responsibility.
Outputs
- Team charters
- Success metrics
Define Platform Boundary Rules
Establish rules for platform usage: ventures can use as-is or build alternatives; no single venture can veto majority-benefit changes.
Outputs
- Platform governance document