Agentic Engineering Without a Platform Team
Zalando reviewed 250 teams. What's left when you have fifteen developers.
ReadOlcay Chasan
Interim Product Lead
For product initiatives that are running but not delivering
Regulated: gematik, CE, OZG. Traceable, even when an AI writes the code.
talk to me20 years between business and engineering
55 -person team managed
400+ product managers trained
ex-Accenture Manager, Digital Business Integration
The deadline has slipped for the third time, and nobody can say exactly why.
Three project leads left, the project is stuck.
The AI ships three times faster, and nobody can say what it was verified against.
When to call me: delays, approvals, loss of control
I take over product responsibility and stand in the line until the thing holds. What remains is a specification that work continues against, and a verification architecture that holds without me.
The project is running, but nobody can say whether it holds
Verified against evidence, not against status reports. It ends with a decision: keep building, rebuild or stop. And a baseline you can measure progress against from then on.
The deadline is set, the team is not
I build it and steer the vendors. By handover it runs without me.
The project has stalled
Crisis intervention. I take over until delivery resumes, instead of analysing why it stopped.
Hardware and software need to come together
IoT from edge to cloud, including CE and RoHS. I steer both sides and the vendors in between.
Certification must not surprise you at the end
Regulatory requirements built in from day 1, not checked shortly before launch.
What these environments have in common: a mistake there costs more than money. It costs an approval, a legal decision, or liability.
How I work: the Spec-Driven AI Operating Model
When a machine writes the code, “it's in the code” stops being an answer. What is in there is what a model produced, not what someone decided.
So the domain decision sits in exactly one place: the specification in the repository. Code is built against it, verification runs against it, and the path back from code into the specification is closed.
Three artefacts remain when I leave
- The domain specification, the single place where product decisions are made
- A register for every deviation, with the reasoning behind it
- Verification in three layers: automated, code review, domain test
Results from health tech, industrial IoT and public sector systems
Health Tech
Gematik-Compliant Health Apps
Health Tech Startup, 6 months, 2023-2024
- Launched in 6 months, on schedule
- 2 apps launched, 4.5★ App Store
- Team scaled 1→10 in 8 weeks
- CardLink: 12% → 58% activation
Industrial IoT
Edge-to-Cloud IoT Platform
Building Automation, 55-person team, 2018-2019
- Crisis project stabilized and delivered
- 55 people, 3 vendors coordinated
- CE and RoHS certification achieved
Connected Products
Connected Bike Services
Premium bicycle manufacturer, 10 months, 2021-2022
- 12.5% service cost reduction
- 50,000+ connected bikes, 98.7% uptime
- Launched in 3 markets (DE, UK, US)
What clients say
“Olcay developed two complex apps from scratch. He has a remarkable ability to zoom in on critical details while maintaining a strategic, big-picture perspective. His preparation is always impeccable - whether for team meetings, stakeholder discussions, or presentations. Beyond his project contributions, he generously shared his expertise in Product Ownership frameworks, mentoring other POs in our organization.”
Anastasia Morozova
Head of Product, GEDISA · Healthcare
“Olcay successfully built two apps from the ground up. Through his structured, reliable approach and high quality standards, he consistently delivered first-class results. With his open and positive attitude, he created an outstanding team atmosphere. His contribution was decisive for the success of the apps.”
Björn Behrendt
CTO, GEDISA · Healthcare
“The fundamentals of how product management and software development work together that I learned from him are still central to my work and my team today. He helped us overcome organizational hurdles and establish sustainable product management. I would work with him again anytime.”
Rolf C. Zipf
CEO, Rindus · Scale-up
“His sharp mind ensured that our backlog was always prioritized with an eye toward maximizing business value. Olcay fostered a remarkably productive team atmosphere - professional yet highly accessible. A standout Product Owner who I would recommend without hesitation.”
Pavlos Giannakis
Test Automation Engineer · Corporate
About: twenty years between business and engineering
Fourteen years in consulting, eight of them at Accenture, most recently as Manager, Digital Business Integration. In a programme at a large German bank I trained over 400 product managers on their role: clarifying responsibilities, cutting ownership, enabling people across many teams.
What I learned about scaling there, I now do differently. Back then it ran through people: training, roles, processes. That works as long as the people stay. Today it runs through artefacts: a specification that code is built and verified against, and a product governance that holds even when a machine writes the code.
Independent since 2019. I take over product ownership in running initiatives, usually when the deadline is fixed and the confidence isn't. In health tech especially, I find this work meaningful. At GEDISA every team member gave 120% because the product helps people.
“I believe you that you believe in it.”- CEO, GEDISA
Frequently asked questions
How do I know we have this problem?
Engineering ships faster than before, and the question “what was this verified against” gets no answer. At that point the domain knowledge sits nowhere, and the code is the only documentation.
What does spec-driven mean when an AI writes the code?
The specification is the single source for domain decisions and lives in the repository. The AI builds against it, verification runs against it, and changes are made in the specification rather than in a ticket or a conversation.
I need someone now - how quickly can you start?
Usually within 2-4 weeks. In crisis situations, even faster.
Are you a consultant or operational?
Operational. I don't deliver decks, I take responsibility. I decide, manage teams and vendors, and deliver results. If you're looking for someone who advises, I'm not the right fit.
We're not in a regulated environment - does that still work?
Yes. Regulatory is my differentiator, not my prerequisite. I ship products with or without Gematik or CE.
What does it cost?
Day rate for an interim vacancy or ongoing product ownership, fixed price for a clearly scoped assignment. What there is not: hourly billing, or change requests for things that were clear from the start. We'll clarify details in the initial conversation.
How does the onboarding work?
Initial conversation, then a viability check: three to four weeks, verified against evidence rather than status reports. It ends with a decision, keep building, rebuild or stop, and the first step is already done. If the direction holds, I take over execution.
When does a collaboration not make sense?
If you're looking for someone who just executes without decision-making authority. If the product is already on the market and needs optimization. Or if you want pure consulting without implementation.
Let's talk
Your project is running, the deadline is set, and you no longer believe the status report. Half an hour is enough to find out whether I am the right fit.
talk to me