A recap of KubeCon + CloudNativeCon EU 2026 in Amsterdam focusing on the human and social dimensions of platform engineering. Key sessions covered how diverse perspectives improve platform design decisions around abstraction boundaries, self-service workflows, API design, and onboarding. The Merge Forward panel examined how inclusion and belonging affect developer experience, platform adoption, and team retention. A first-ever neurodiversity session at the Community Hub provided practical tools for supporting neurodivergent contributors in tech. The overarching theme: sustainable platform engineering requires integrating empathy, accessibility, and diverse viewpoints alongside technical expertise.
Table of contents
Platform engineering beyond tools and infrastructureDesigning for belonging: Merge Forward panelNeurodiversity Community Hub: Making invisible experiences visibleConnecting technical and human perspectivesLooking forwardSort: