apidays Paris 2022 - Lessons from the evolution of API product management over the last 10 years, Claire Barrett, APIsFirst

apidays Paris 2022 - APIs the next 10 years: Software, Society, Sovereignty, Sustainability
December 14, 15 & 16, 2022

Lessons from the evolution of API product management over the last 10 years: what they could mean from here
Claire Barrett, Director at APIsFirst
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Transcript

1. Lessons from the evolution of
   API product management
   What it could mean from here
   Claire Barrett
   December 2022
   

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2. Consultant and technology leader
   API-enabled change accelerator
   Thought leader
   Inclusivity champion
   Director, APIsFirst
   www.linkedin.com/in/claire-global
   Co-founder, The API Collective
   www.theapicollective.com
   Global lead for Women In APIs
   apidays.global/initiatives-women-in-apis
   

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3. 2023 SERIES OF EVENT
   New York
   May 16&17
   Australia
   October 11&12
   Singapore
   April 12&13
   Helsinki & North
   June 5&6
   Paris
   SEPTEMBER
   London
   November
   15&16
   June 28-30
   SILICON VALLEY
   March 14&15
   Dubai & Middle East
   February 22&23
   

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4. Lessons from the evolution of
   API product management
   ● The story so far…
   ● How it’s playing out…
   ● What it might look like from here…
   

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5. Why is this important?
   Good API products
   rely on good API
   product managers
   Business success
   …relies on API
   success
   …which relies on
   API products
   Being clear on
   the role of the
   API product
   manager means
   they’re set up for
   success
   

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6. What we are taking as “given”
   APIs matter
   API products are important
   Organisations are continuing to invest in APIs
   APIs will continue to evolve
   

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7. We’re digging deeper into
   The API Product Manager
   Why the role matters
   Why the role will keep evolving
   What we think it might evolve to
   

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8. The importance
   Source: “Canadian CIOs: Focus on In-Demand IT Roles” - Gartner 2018
   “Governs the
   evolution of
   connections in the
   ecosystem and
   determines how
   they are designed
   and monetized.”
   © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
   

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9. Gartner “The State of the API Industry”
   Top ranked factor (across 3 x choices)
   1. Missing key roles, such as API
   product manager
   ● 59% of respondents voted in
   top three
   ● 29% as #1 / top ranked
   2. Lack of API standards (49%)
   3. Lack of skills (43%)
   Source: Gartner, Mark O’Neill, apidays Paris December 2022
   © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
   

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10. How are we seeing this play out in job
    descriptions?
    “product strategy
    and roadmap”
    “revenue and customer
    satisfaction goals”
    “Recommendations…
    product base and vision”
    

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11. Let’s review some key
    themes from API history…
    …from the perspective of the roles
    supporting it
    

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12. © APIsFirst Ltd
    DX era
    Connectivity era
    The technology backdrop for APIs as products
    Mobile era
    2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
    Cloud era
    Social media era
    eCommerce
    era.
    Internal APIs
    

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13. Meanwhile, the discipline of
    product management has
    been evolving…
    

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14. What’s the genealogy of API product management?
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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15. Product management evolution from the 1930s
    ...through to the 2000s
    Services
    Process &
    automation
    Structural
    engineering
    Projects
    Manufacturing
    Lean &
    features
    FMCG &
    Marketing Products &
    brand Customer,
    data & UX
    Tech
    products
    Technology
    Agile & s/w
    engineering
    Platforms &
    ecosystems
    Digitisation
    API
    products
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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16. Let’s go back a step
    API
    products
    Tech
    products
    

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17. Sources: Will Lawrence https://productlife.to/p/-the-four-pm-archetypes 2021
    Sachin Rekhi https://www.sachinrekhi.com/finding-product-culture-fit 2020
    Engineering-driven Data-driven Design-driven
    Sales-driven
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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18. Applying tech
    knowledge for
    highest impact
    Defining
    success,
    uncovering
    opportunities,
    leading fast
    execution
    Understanding
    user problems,
    partnering for
    right solution
    Ensuring
    product
    success in
    market
    Engineering-driven Data-driven Design-driven Sales-driven
    Engineering-driven Data-driven Design-driven Sales-driven
    Sources: Will Lawrence https://productlife.to/p/-the-four-pm-archetypes 2021
    Sachin Rekhi https://www.sachinrekhi.com/finding-product-culture-fit 2020 © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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19. Sales-driven
    

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20. What more sales-driven looks like
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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21. Sales-driven
    Can be mistaken for :
    ● API-ifying current products
    ● Responding to customer / partner / market forces
    ● Expanding existing APIs’ use
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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22. Focuses on :
    ● Unlocking value from data via APIs
    ● API pricing and consumption
    ● Marketing angle of API portal as
    sales channel
    Relies on :
    ● Commercial skills
    ● Ability to influence beyond
    traditional organisational boundaries
    Photograph from unsplash.com
    Sales-driven
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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23. Engineering-driven
    

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24. Can be mistaken for :
    ● Leading tech simplification
    ● Championing API reuse
    ● Looking after API governance
    Engineering-driven
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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25. What more engineering-driven looks like
    A large, mature organisation that is:
    ● Realising value from digital transformation
    ● Simplifying technology
    ● Insourcing more and growing engineering talent
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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26. Focuses on :
    ● API reliability, security and performance
    over best API design
    ● Engineering practices and processes
    ● High-tech answers to API product problems
    Relies on :
    ● Technical depth and credibility
    ● Communication skills with engineers and
    architects
    Engineering-driven
    Photograph from unsplash.com
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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27. Data-driven
    

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28. Data-driven
    Can be mistaken for:
    ● Owning API data products
    ● Unlocking value from data as APIs
    ● Leveraging AI/ML strengths and investment via APIs
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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29. What more data-driven looks like
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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30. Data-driven
    Focuses on :
    ● Monitoring and synthesising today
    ● Understanding consumer
    onboarding and usage
    ● Planning “what next?” with APIs
    Relies on :
    ● Statistical and analytical skills
    ● Communication with data
    Photograph from unsplash.com
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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31. Design-driven
    

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32. Can be mistaken for :
    ● Incubating embedded business models
    ● Monetising APIs either directly or indirectly
    ● Creating new API-enabled customer experiences
    Design-driven
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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33. What more design-driven looks like
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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34. Focuses on :
    ● Getting API consumer future
    wants and needs
    ● Consumer endpoint designs
    ● Design thinking and digital product
    design practices
    Relies on :
    ● External community participation
    ● Story-telling and influence
    Design-driven
    Photograph from unsplash.com
    © APIsFirst Ltd 2022
    

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35. So what does the future look like for the
    API product manager role?
    Photograph from unsplash.com
    

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36. Prediction #1
    API product manager roles will
    continue to specialise into subspecies
    

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37. Prediction #2
    The organisations that set up
    API product management well for success
    will be advantaged.
    

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38. Prediction #3
    API product managers will be
    grown rather than hired
    

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39. © APIsFirst Ltd
    THANK YOU
    Want to know more?
    linkedin.com/in/claire-global
    contact@apisfirst.com
    www.theapicollective.com
    

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