Why Internal Platform Teams Should Stop 'Paving Roads'

A “Paved Road” here is a set of recommended and supported tools and processes. The logic seems sound: standardization, security, and easy onboarding. But in the age of rapid AI evolution, this approach will become a liability.

Here is why your platform team should stop building roads and start building better “cars”:

• The AI Obsolescence Trap: AI tools are evolving weekly. A paved road built today is often obsolete by the time the concrete dries. Rigid paths stifle the ability to pivot.
• Creating Bottlenecks for Elite Teams: Small, AI-augmented teams move fast. They don’t need structured processes; they need flexibility. Forcing them onto a paved road often creates a support bottleneck that slows down their most innovative work.
• The Monopoly Problem: When a system is enforced by the org, the platform team loses the “competitive itch.” Without external market pressure, internal products often become bloated and mediocre because the users have no choice.
• The Leadership Bias: Paved roads require executive buy-in. This inadvertently shifts the platform team’s customer from the actual user to the leader who signed the check. You end up building for a VP’s preferences, not a dev’s productivity.

The Alternative: Win on Merit

Instead of forcing a path, build the best possible solution, one so good it beats external market offerings. Don’t worry about paving the road for everyone. Just build the fastest “car” in the garage. If your tool is genuinely the best way to reach the destination, people will choose it because it works, not because they’re forced to.