API Giants by David Zack

Transcript

1. API Giants API Strategy & Practice Conference November 19, 2015 David Zack david.zack@oup.com
2. • A department of the University of Oxford and the largest university press in the world • OUP furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. • Publishing branches in 13 countries, offices in another 50, representation in 50 more… Oxford University Press Quick Facts
3. Oxford English Dictionary Dictionaries Division Main Programs Many Other Dictionaries Multiple Web Sites Data Licensing Oxford Global Languages Language and Lexical R&D
4. API Giants We are not there yet...
5. Challenges
6. Multiple Use Cases Each with their own challenges • Print, Web & Mobile • Tools (including an Entry Editing Tool) • Data Licensees • 3rd Party Developers • Oxford Global Language Program • Machines (The Semantic Web)
7. * * See Appendix DAT A Wide Variety of Channels New opportunities every day… From Karen McGrane
8. Relevant data is everywhere… New Data Sources More than words….
9. Our Data Format No longer fit for purpose… Data Silos Loose XML
10. Legacy Software Systems Need to be more flexible and agile
11. What to do?
12. Core Value? We have a clear core value… From Steve Wilmott Stuff we do not really want to build Open as many channels as we can Lexical Data “Data matures like wine, applications like fish.” James Governor
13. •• Linkage •• Inference •• Data interoperability and machine readable •• Print focussed •• DTDs are old technology •• Not good for machine processing New Data Format XML versus RDF
14. Building LEAP Lexical Engine and Platform • LEAP is a software platform • LEAP supports the creation and collection of lexical data • LEAP organizes, structures and optimizes lexical data • LEAP leverage private and public APIS to make lexical data available via multiple formats • LEAP leverages the Semantic Web and Semantic Web technologies LEAP
15. Where to start?
16. How to eat an elephant? One bite at a time… • Iterate. Don’t try to solve all problems at once. • Identify a first test use case. Build MVP. Publish. Learn. • Identify and focus on top- priority business driver.
17. Working with partners… Focus on our strengths • 3scale is our API Platform Provider • Entropy is providing our CMS (“Remarkable”) • Leveraging forums from Vanilla • More partners in the pipeline as well as early API users…
18. Oxford Global Languages A perfect place to experiment…
19. • Deployed a new RDF based lexical platform (LEAP) • Deployed a new CMS – “Remarkable” from Entropy • Leveraging 3scale’s API platform and system • User-generated content • 2 new language data sets • All done in 10 weeks! Some Initial Success Zulu and Northern Sotho Sites
20. • We launched with a stripped back feature set • We were not afraid to launch something that was not “perfect” • We wanted to get early feedback and minimize effort and spend • Why spend time building things users may not want? Some Initial Success This is a BETA and EXPERIMENT
21. • User forums from Vanilla • New blogging platform • Improved search, UGC and more widgets • RDF editing framework • Feature phone support • “Open Data”, “single sign on” and much more… More to come… This is just the start… Only 98 languages to go!
22. Thank You! And let us know if you want to help…
23. Appendix
24. Oxford Global Languages Further information and sites… OGL: Connecting Language https://youtu.be/UhiiMa79f2I OGL: An Introduction https://youtu.be/AsubWChQBrs https://zu.oxforddictionaries.com/ https://nso.oxforddictionaries.com/
25. Digital Toast Burn Oxford “Word of the Day” on your morning toast using this toaster? ☺ This is the crazy, fun, connected world we now live in!