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EngineeringInternal Tooling4 min read
Self-service infra you'll actually use
Most internal platforms ship a self-service portal that nobody uses, because the path through it is harder than asking for help directly.
Self-service infrastructure only works if the self-service path is genuinely faster than asking someone. Most aren't. The portal has six required fields. The docs are out of date. The provisioning takes 20 minutes. So everyone just opens a ticket and waits.
What self-service actually requires
- A path that's faster than asking — measured, not assumed.
- Docs that are tested when the portal changes.
- Defaults that work for 90% of cases.
- An escape hatch when the defaults don't fit.
The test
Sit with an engineer who's never used the portal. Time them. If it's longer than asking, the portal is theater. If it's shorter, you've actually built something.
Self-service that isn't faster than asking is just paperwork.