Mapping out your API Strategy

4.20.11 @ 11:05 PSTVOIP or Dial-in (see chat)

Brian Mulloy @landlessness

Sam Ramji @sramji

Welcome to our first webinar.

@landlessness @sramji

Today: Mapping out your API Strategy

10 Patterns in Successful API Programs

Pragmatic REST: API Design Fu

API Tech & Roadmap Considerations

Driving API Adoption

“Rapid API” Workshop Webinar Series

Part 1: Mapping out your API Strategy

mobile social cloud ubiquity

You need a strategy for the explosion in consumption.

iPad Android, iPhone, Xbox, …

FacebookTwitter, Linkedin, Foursquare, …

GrouponAmazon, salesforce.com, PayPal, …

iPad iPhone, Wii, …

FacebookTwitter, Linkedin, Foursquare, …

GrouponAmazon, salesforce.com, PayPal, …

Android Android, iPhone, Xbox, …

LinkedInTwitter, Linkedin, Foursquare, …

SalesforceAmazon, salesforce.com, PayPal, …

Do business in the customer’s full context.

Customers

You

Align your investments with your customers.

Example iPad app

Your Product Your Partner

Facebook PayPal

iPad

What About Android?

Your Product

Your Partner

Facebook PayPal

iPad

Your Product Your Partner

Facebook PayPal

Android

And LinkedIn?

Your Product

Your Partner

LinkedIn PayPal

iPad

Your Product Your Partner

LinkedIn PayPal

Android

Your Product

Your Partner

Facebook PayPal

iPad

Your Product Your Partner

Facebook PayPal

Android

And Another Partner?

Your Product Your Partner A

LinkedIn PayPal

Android

Your Product

Your Partner A

LinkedIn PayPal

iPad

Your Product Your Partner A

Facebook PayPal

Android

Your Product

Your Partner A

Facebook PayPal

iPad

Your Product Your Partner B

LinkedIn PayPal

Android

Your Product

Your Partner B

LinkedIn PayPal

iPad

Your Product Your Partner B

Facebook PayPal

Android

Your Product

Your Partner B

Facebook PayPal

iPad

And Another Product?

Your Product A Your Partner A

LinkedIn PayPal

Android

Your Product A Your Partner A

Facebook PayPal

Android

Your Product B Your Partner A

LinkedIn PayPal

Android

Your Product B Your Partner A

Facebook PayPal

Android

Your Product A

Your Partner A

LinkedIn PayPal

iPad

Your Product A

Your Partner A

Facebook PayPal

iPad

Your Product B

Your Partner A

LinkedIn PayPal

iPad

Your Product B

Your Partner A

Facebook PayPal

iPad

Your Product A Your Partner B

LinkedIn PayPal

Android

Your Product A Your Partner B

Facebook PayPal

Android

Your Product B Your Partner B

LinkedIn PayPal

Android

Your Product B Your Partner B

Facebook PayPal

Android

Your Product A

Your Partner B

LinkedIn PayPal

iPad

Your Product A

Your Partner B

Facebook PayPal

iPad

Your Product B

Your Partner B

LinkedIn PayPal

iPad

Your Product B

Your Partner B

Facebook PayPal

iPad

Resources Required

Internal Systems

Web

Mobile & Social Ubiquity

The Big Bet of Yesterday

Scarce, Expensive

Technology

Big Budget

High Risk

Lots of Potential

Long-Term

Project

Many Bets of Today

Cheap, Ubiquitous Technology

Iterative Budgets

Low Risk

Quick Results

Small, Focused Projects

How to Do It All?

Direct Indirect

Mobile

Social

Cloud

API

API Initiatives

Internal Partners Open

Internal

Loners

Departments

IT

• No developers• No problem

• Less planning• More doing

• Agile• and Stable

Partners

Channels

Extenders

Completers

• More reach• New revenue

• Expand footprint• Strategic offerings

• Plug holes

Open

Breakthroughs

Niches

Directed

• Huge crowds• Wait and see

• Niche developers• Niche solutions

• Inspire research• Solve problems

Enterprise API Engine

Internal

Partners

Open

API Value Chain

AppUser

APITeam

APIAppWorld ofAPIs

AppStore

InternalSystems

AppDeveloper

John MusserProgrammable Web

“

But how?

Let’s break it down

Establish Target Segments

Engage Developer Channel

Set Industry Goal

An API should extend your core businessinto a new part of the market

target segments

Your core business already has key performance indicators

target segments

So apply your KPIs to the new market segment you’re targeting with your APIs

target segments

What is the market impact you need to create in order to succeed as a business?

target segments

What does the target segment need that it is not getting from you today?

target segments

The answer will be the foundation of your API strategy.

target segments

In most cases the channel for your API will be developers, but what do they need?

developer channel

A profit motive.

developer channel

Here are the leading profit models for developers today

developer channel

App sales

developer channel

In-app purchases

developer channel

Affiliate royalty

developer channel

Your advertising spend

developer channel

Market awareness of their offering

developer channel

If you don’t know where you’re going, you definitely won’t get there

industry goal

Partnerships and platform businesses are very different things.

industry goal

Partnerships are formed to serve a known set of entities

industry goal

A partner API should be traceable to each partner’s relationship

industry goal

And support end-to-end business processes

industry goal

A platform exists to create massive and unpredictable opportunities

industry goal

All your technology, support, and community decisions will be about surviving the scale of adoption

industry goal

That’s the strategy dimension.

The execution dimension is what you already know.

Planning.

Management.

Organization.

Putting all this in context gives us a map for our API strategy

Planning Management Organization

Target Segment(s)

Define market segment in detail including size and

user persona; specify API profile needed to satisfy top use cases for each

target segment

Establish KPI targets, traceability and dashboard

Business-led

Segment-oriented workstreams

Engage Channel

Specify business model and marketing driver for

the channel that will reach each target segment

Establish developer adoption targets,

developer marketing and channel actions

(community site, events, and communication)

Channel-led

Community, developer, and business development

workstreams

Industry Goal

Specify roadmap of API deliverables, mechanics, integration, and business

process to meet target segment needs

Implement API roadmap, adjust and report on iteration cycle, and

establish alpha developer team

Engineering-led

API, infrastructure, and developer support

workstreams

Open, Partner, or Internal?

Align Execution with Strategy (try 9 boxing)

In summary

Mapping out your API Strategy

10 Patterns in Successful API Programs

Pragmatic REST: API Design Fu

API Tech & Roadmap Considerations

Driving API Adoption

Next Time

THANK YOUQuestions and ideas to:

@landlessness@sramji@apigee