Managing Risk in API Projects - API Days London 2015

What I learned from building APIs in Insurance the past 7 years. API projects have inherently even more risk than regular IT projects. Lesson learned and processes/tools you can use to mitigate risk.

Transcript

1. Emmanuel Paraskakis @manp
2. Apiary.io
3. Collaborate on API Design 174,209 APIs 1.8M+ Consumers 131,697 Designers
4. Managing Risk in API Projects What I learned from building APIs in Insurance the past 7 years
5. Incredible demand for APIs Mobile Apps Data Collection Automation Regulation Integrations Partnerships
6. HBR: Corporate Alliances Matter Less Thanks to APIs https://hbr.org/2015/06/corporate-alliances-matter-less-thanks-to-apis “APIs, on the other hand, turn the burden of finding partners willing to share risks and offer complementary resources on its head.
 With APIs, companies pivot from finding partners to letting partners find them.”
7. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
10. (Project Execution Risk)++ • API Projects are like any IT project but more so • API Consumers are external to organization or team so the risk of getting it wrong multiplies
12. Things I’ve Seen… • Project took too long • Project cost too much
13. …Things I’ve Seen… • Didn't meet consumer needs • API Too difficult to understand • API docs were not accurate • Introduced security vulnerabilities
14. …Things I’ve Seen • Caused failed partnerships:
 Lined up partners but API wasn't what they expected • Contributed to missed market opportunities
16. Process… • Treat the API as a Product
 (not a byproduct) • Get stakeholders involved:
 Design, Prototype, Iterate
17. …Process… • Manage lifecycle/change • Move fast but don't break things • Test/Validate to ensure Quality • TDD
18. …Process • Design first • Style Guide • Consistency
19. 4 stages of API design API as a by-product of building apps API documentation generated from code Design-first API Development API Development Consistency
20. API as a by-product API as a by-product of building apps API documentation generated from code Design-first API Development API Development Consistency
21. API documentation generated from code API documentation generated from code Design-first API Development API Development Consistency API as a by-product of building apps
22. Design-first API Development Design-first API Development API Development Consistency API as a by-product of building apps API documentation generated from code
23. API Development Consistency API Development Consistency API as a by-product of building apps API documentation generated from code Design-first API Development
24. Only Tooling platform allows you to rapidly iterate/collaborate - It’s all we do! Apiary.io
25. Human readable/writable
 Machine friendly API Blueprint
26. FORMAT: 1A # Message of the Day API A simple [MOTD](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/motd) API. # Message [/messages/{id}] This resource represents one particular message identified by its *id*. ## Retrieve Message [GET] Retrieve a message by its *id*. + Response 200 (text/plain) Hello World! ## Delete Message [DELETE] Delete a message. **Warning:** This action **permanently** removes the message from the database. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
27. Tools… • SaaS: no setup - sign up and go • Editor/Documentation/Mock Server/Traffic Inspector • Collaboration and rapid iteration (no need to build)
28. Backend Client
29. Backend Client
30. …Tools… • Testing/Dredd: TDD or CI • Ensure what you code meets specs • Ensure it continues to meet spec as you change • Tests created automatically, you don't have to write them • Test your API docs- In continuous integration!
31. Testing
32. …Tools • GitHub integration, the way you work: Manage change • Encoded Style Guide, across teams, consistency, oversight • Make changes but keep consistency (no need to read long style doc)
33. API Lifecycle Design Prototype Implementation Delivery Feedback Collaborative Editor Style Guide Approval Process Auto-generated Mock Quick Feedback Loop Documentation Code Samples Client Code Framework Integration TDD Server Code SDKs Support Style Assertions Auto-configured Clients
34. Risk Mitigation • Need to meet incredible demand • Fast cycles • Happy users/partners • Able to change, think GitHub • Seize Market opportunities
 (in the face of rapid change)
35. What You Can Do: 1. Try Apiary Out for Free:
 https://apiary.io 2. Talk to me:
 emmanuel@apiary.io
 (what problems are you coming across?) 3. Get Swag:
 This room!
36. Thanks! Image Credits: Harvard Business Review Home Box Office Inc. Trendhunter Marketing Apiary.io