In spite of the massive successes of companies like Uber and Facebook, the power of digital platforms is still in its infancy. There are enormous opportunities for experimentation and learning as value shifts from products to those who can build intuitive, efficient platforms that connect people, providers, products, and more. But even in these early days, some compelling patterns have emerged.

Lessons Learned with Apple’s iOS

A digital platform will typically get introduced on top of an existing industry. For example, Apple’s iOS rests on top of the smartphone industry.
Any platform needs two distinct groups of participants. iOS brings together app consumers and app developers. The platform sits in the middle and allows for easy connections between the two groups.
As the two groups grow and stay connected, they make up a two-sided network. The two-sided network leads to a network effect - the more people who use the platform, the more valuable it becomes.
Making the Leap

Most industries have room for very few thriving platforms - sometimes as few as two.
To build a successful platform, you need to:
be early enough to the game
work obsessively on the user interface and user experience
offer a compelling value proposition for people to join your network
If your industry already has multiple platforms fighting it out, give pause to building your own. Consider partnering with an existing platform provider or tapping into an underserved part of your market.