Architectural Generativity: Leveraging Complementor Contributions to the Platform Architecture

by Coen van der Geest and Joey van Angeren

Architectural Generativity: Leveraging Complementor Contributions to the Platform Architecture

Image Credit | Growtika

In an open architecture, architectural generativity is the process of actively soliciting and selectively incorporating contributions from complementors.
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Abstract

An open architecture is instrumental for platforms in enabling innovation by complementors. But as complementors deplete the platform architecture’s innovation opportunities, the platform architecture must evolve to reinvigorate the platform’s generative capacity. We underscore the role of complementors in this process by introducing architectural generativity. With architectural generativity, we mean that actively soliciting and selectively incorporating contributions from complementors, as the prime users of the platform architecture, can help evolve the platform in unforeseen ways. Specifically, complementors contribute new ways to facilitate access and suggest better ways to control the platform. We also provide several guidelines to assist managers.


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