The Digital Platform Otto.de: A Case Study of Growth, Complexity, and Generativity

We analyze the growth, complexity, and generativity of the digital platform Otto.de, a revelatory case of a large German company that has opened up its internal IT platform to outside developers. We find indication for a superlinear growth pattern fueled by external developers and the introduction of microservices as well as the emergence of a structural separation within the platform. Furthermore, our research shows ways to explain the generativity of a digital platform based on the attention and activity received.