I am sorry Developer, your API just became a Product

In recent years, APIs have become a key element in how developers build software today. It doesn't seem easy to imagine what development would be like without having all the current APIs at our fingertips. Although APIs initially emerged as a communication or integration solution between different systems, they have evolved to the point that many APIs are Products. Whether you are one of the engineering teams affected by this new APIs-as-a-Product paradigm and still don't know what to expect, or you are just curious about the topic, this talk will present the keys to understanding APIs-as-a-Product from a Developer perspective and take advantage of it as an opportunity to work better with the product team, understand and actively participate in the strategy and above all to make APIs that your users will love.

Transcript

1. I’m sorry Developer your API just became a PRODUCT Benjamin Granados Technical Community Manager benjagm
2. This talk is not about what API-as-a-Product is. benjagm
3. This talk is all about how developers feel about API-as-a-Product. benjagm
4. benjagm
5. A product is a solution that solves a problem that exists for many people (the customer) benjagm
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7. Shift from API Solution to API Product What does an API Product Manager do? By Emily Canon - Apidays Australia 2022 APIs as integration Solutions APIs as Products Focus on the System Inside-out thinking Save money Focus on the Customer Outside-in Thinking Earn money benjagm
8. API-as-a-Product An API Product has a value proposition and solves customers’ problems benjagm
9. Benefits # Improved user experience and faster adoption # New revenue streams and business models # Growth through ecosystems and platforms # Reduce risks benjagm
10. benjagm
11. CUSTOMER BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY API Product Management The practice of deciding which problems are most important for the customer, and working with engineers & stakeholders to identify & build API products to solve them. benjagm
12. benjagm # Focus on the What # Development Process # Internal Focus Product Owner # Develop the product backlog # Focus on the Why # Market and Customer Needs # External focus Product Manager # Develop the product vision
13. Business needs vs Customer needs BUSINESS CUSTOMER Value creation zone https://thomasbarta.com/the-power-of-working-inside-the-value-creation-zone/ benjagm
14. Software Development Lifecycle Requirement first ANALYSIS DESIGN DEVELOPMENT TESTING RELEASE MAINTENANCE How it was • Requirements • Identify risks • Planing • High level Design • Low level Design • UX • Architecture • Communicate value benjagm
15. API Product Development Lifecycle Design first IDEATION DESIGN DEVELOPMENT TESTING RELEASE MONITOR FEEDBACK • Market research • Target definition • Customer needs • Personas • Discovery • Value Proposition • Api Spec • Mocks & Prototype • Customer testing • Backlog • Roadmap • Convert feedback into new features • Promote & deprecate • Communicate value • Docs, samples, and Marketing benjagm How it is
16. API Metrics benjagm # Request Per Minute (RPM) # Average And Maximum Latency # Errors Per Minute # CPU And Memory Usage # Uptime # Time To First Call # API Retention # Top Customers By API Usage # API Usage Growth # Unique API Consumers Building the right APIs Building APIs right
17. A day in the life of an API PM MORNING AFTERNOON EVENING • Respond to API users support requests • Team Daily. • Review API Metrics • Review API Specs, Docs and Portal • Refine the API Product Backlog • Interviews with Customers or alignment meetings Stakeholders • Writing uses cases, defining Personas or building a prototype to show how the API can be used • Market/Competitive Research • New products discovery • Refining Product Strategy benjagm
18. benjagm Conflict! Photo by @raymondo600 on Unsplash
19. benjagm Dev Team Build APIs right Build the right APIs Product Manager Conflict scenario 1
20. Recipe #1 Context: Approach: There is no silver bullet 🤷 Result: Product Manager asking for a different API Style benjagm - The Dev Team loves GraphQL and they think that is the future of APIs. - But the Product Manager has found that the Partner is massively invested in REST. - This created conflict between the Team and the PM. - PM: Listen to the Team, make them feel empowered but communicate to them the Customer needs. - Team: The PM is the Customer Advocate. The Team reached consensus about the best API Style for this Partner API.
21. Conflict scenario 2 Product Mindset Maturity Level API Management Maturity Level benjagm API as a Product Strategy
22. Product Mindset Maturity Intuition Driven Introducing Process Listening to Customer Aligned on users needs Product Culture benjagm Zero product mindset The five levels of Product Excellence maturity: https://www.productboard.com/blog/five-levels-product-excellence-maturity/
23. API Management Maturity Private APIs Systems Employee Productivity Private APIs Omni-channel Partner APIs Collaboration Public APIs Monetization Business Value benjagm Enterprise API Management - Luis Weir
24. How to make this actionable? Product Mindset Maturity Level API Management Maturity Level benjagm API as a Product Strategy
25. The API-as-a-Product Conflict Matrix API Management Maturity Product Mindset Maturity POWER ZONE EVOLUTION ZONE CONFLICT ZONE CONFLICT ZONE benjagm
26. Recipe #2 Building Public or Partner APIs with early stage API Product Mindset Context: Approach: Proper Product validation ✅ Result: - The Dev Team traditionally building internal APIs starts building Public APIs. - But the Product Owner keeps the business as main stakeholder without speaking with customers. Make sure the new API Product proposal is properly validated with real customer during the design stage using a Prototype. During validation we found relevant insights to adjust the API Product to make sure it solve the jobs-to-be-done by the Customer. benjagm
27. Recipe #3 Context: Approach: Revisit API Governance ⚙ Result: Building Internal APIs with so much Product Management tactics benjagm - The Company is committed to improve the Product Culture among all teams. - New Product Managers were hired but they are forcing so many Product Management tactics that are not as effective for API Products. Through adapting the API Governance to homogenize the API Product discovery and design process we can make sure all PMs works consistently and efficiently. We reduced frustration of the Dev Team, reduced the Time to Market and increased collaboration among PMs.
28. ⚠ Slide for Organizations ⚠ You can help with better Change Management Strategies benjagm Kotter’s Model ADKAR Model Lean Change Management
29. You must read this book benjagm http://api-as-a-product.com
30. Build the right API is everyone’s responsability benjagm But please, involve your Tech Teams since day -1
31. This presentation template was created by Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon, and infographics & images by Freepik and illustrations by Stories Thanks! Do you have any questions? benjamin.granados@postman.com benjagranados benjagm benjagm