Paving the Path Towards Platform Engineering Using a Comprehensive Reference Model

Amidst the growing popularity of platform engineering, promising improved productivity and enhanced developer experience through an engineering platform, e.g., an Internal Developer Platform (IDP), this paper addresses the prevalent challenge of a lack of a shared understanding in the field and the complications in defining effective, customized strategies. Introducing a definitive Platform Engineering Reference Model (PE-RM) based on the Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP) framework to provide a common understanding. This model offers a structured framework for software organizations to create tailored platform engineering strategies and realize the full potential of platform engineering. By facilitating a shared vocabulary and providing a roadmap for implementation, this paper aims to mitigate prevailing complexities and accelerate the adoption and effectiveness of platform engineering across organizations, showcasing the added value.