Recorded at KubeCon 2026, Michael Meelis (Platform Engineer at ITQ) sits down with Steve Wade (Founder of Platform Fix) to discuss one of the biggest challenges in platform engineering: complexity.
At KubeCon, it’s easy to get lost in the growing CNCF landscape. But are all these tools actually helping organizations deliver value, or just slowing them down?
This episode explores why simplifying platforms, focusing on developer experience, and aligning with business outcomes is far more important than adopting every new tool.
In this episode they discuss:
• Why the CNCF landscape leads to tool sprawl
• The risk of building platforms for technology instead of business value
• Developer experience and why many platforms fail their users
• Why Git should be the real interface of your platform
• The downside of tools like Backstage when misapplied
• The hidden cost of “new tools” and operational overhead
• Real world example: reducing complexity and saving €500K annually
• Why platform engineering is ultimately about people, not technology
Continue exploring Cloud Native Chronicles?
We recorded multiple Cloud Native Chronicles episodes covering platform engineering, AI, sovereignty, and real world use cases.
Explore the full series to get a broader view on where Cloud Native is heading and how organizations translate it into impact: https://www.youtube.com/@ITQConsultancy/podcasts
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00:00 Introduction
00:45 KubeCon and the overload of tools
02:00 The problem with the CNCF landscape
03:30 Platforms should deliver business value
05:00 Developer experience and usability challenges
06:30 Git as the real platform interface
08:30 Backstage and the risk of extra layers
10:30 Platform as foundations, not features
12:30 Platform teams as cost centers
14:00 Real world case: reducing complexity and cost
16:30 The hidden cost of new tools
18:30 Service mesh complexity explained
20:30 Platform engineering is about people
22:00 Kubernetes Enablement Team (KET) concept
24:00 Closing thoughts
