1
Using APIs for Success in Government
Richard Fong, Technical Implementation Consultant
September 13, 2012
2
Agenda
• What’s an API? • Why do APIs matter? • GovDelivery API • Success Stories • Questions
3
Setting the Stage
• Get to the Web because that is where your customers are! • “The web browser is no longer the exclusive gateway”*
• People access the content with different devices… − Smartphones − Tablets − Intelligent devices
*What is an API – 3scale.com
4
What is an API?
• Application Programming Interface APIs
• “API is specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other” - Wikipedia
• Software-to-software
• Applications communicate with each other
• Facilitates the exchange & integration of data between different systems
• Extend the platform
5
What is an API?
Not new and many types
*What is an API – 3scale.com
6
What is an API?
High level view
Requester Provider API
7
What is a Web API?
• REpresentational State Transfer architecture −REST
• Accessible over HTTP • Operations
−GET, POST, PUT, DELETE
• Messaging via XML or JSON • Collection of resources
−URIs
8
APIs In The News!
9
Real World Examples
• Examples include • Weather.com
• Global forecast • Current conditions • Weather alerts
• Amazon.com • Product information • Fulfillment • Payment
• Google Maps • Location based • Mobile apps • Visualized spatial data
10
GovDelivery Web API
11
Overview of Digital Communication Management
GovDelivery Network Cross-promote for more impact
Emergency Notification
Analytics & Filtering
Mobile
Automation
Social
Messaging Reach more people
Drive deeper engagement
Enable tight integration
Communicate anytime, anywhere
Measure the impact
Keep the public safe and informed
12
1. Citizens see opportunity to stay engaged with organization of interest
2. Citizens select only the types of information they want to receive.
3. Personalized messages are sent automatically via email, text message, or RSS
4. Citizens share message with friends and acquaintance and reach of original communication is extended.
How the Public Uses DCM
13
How You Use DCM
1. Identify existing content – web pages, RSS feeds, social media accounts and/or document files.
2. Simply point GovDelivery to the content
3. GovDelivery proactively monitors sources for changes or updates
4. GovDelivery creates and sends formatted, multi-channel messages to subscribers (or a draft is created for your approval)
14
Deep experience – Substantial scale • More than 550 public sector organizations manage their digital communications
though GovDelivery
• More than one billion messages are sent quarterly by government agencies through GovDelivery
• 30,000 people sign up every day through GovDelivery to receive digital messages from the government
• Client messages have an industry-leading deliverability rate greater than 99%
• Clients typically grow the base of people they reach by 75% in the first year
15
GovDelivery Web API
• Representational State Transfer (REST) architecture − Industry standard
• All requests goes through SSL − Secure
• Messaging via XML • Client implementations using
− JAVA − .NET C#, ASP, VB − PERL − php
• Open the GovDelivery platform to solve problems
16
GovDelivery API
• Exposed resources (URIs)
17
GovDelivery API
GovDelivery API
GovDelivery Platform
Create subscribers Manage topics Send bulletins
18
Success Stories
19
GovDelivery API – Examples
U.S. Census Bureau Mobile Application • Provides access to key economic
indicators about the U.S. economy
• Allow subscribers to get alerts to 13 different economic indicator topics
• Android and iOS
• Extend their reach
20
GovDelivery API – Examples
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) • Subscriber and Subscriber Topics call • Create and update subscribers • Assign and update subscribers
to more than 15 grants topics • Daily batch process to sync
internal grantees database with GovDelivery
• Automate process and reduce staff resources
21
GovDelivery API – Examples
U.S. Federal Aviation Administration • Bulletins APIs
• Provide airworthiness information for all parts of an airplane
• Provide critical updates on equipment to keep public safe & inform stakeholders
22
GovDelivery API – Examples
Internal Revenue Service • Check on refund status
• Access easy-to-understand tax tips
• Get tax tips email alerts
• Subscriber API
• Increase reach and capture many new subscribers
23
GovDelivery API – Examples
National Weather Service • Automate tsunami Warning
Messages • Near real-time alerts • Email and SMS • Send bulletin call • Automate the delivery of
messages • Life-saving, critical
information with high deliverability guarantee
24
GovDelivery API – Examples
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) • Category and Topics API
• Customized subscription form
• Offers greater control over agency branding
25
GovDelivery API – Examples
City of Fullerton, CA • Subscriber API
• Crime alert updates
• Offers quick subscribe capability to specific police district via mapping tool or address match
• Greater integration across various databases, helps keep citizens safe & informed
26
GovDelivery API – Examples
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, UK • Bulletins API
• Ensure medicines and medical devices work
• Effectively communicate accurate and timely information
27
GovDelivery API – Examples Pure Michigan -- Michigan’s Official Travel Site • Subscriber and Subscriber Topics call
• Create and update subscribers
• Assign subscribers to Fall Colors Updates
• More flexibility in integrating to existing forms
28
GovDelivery API – Examples
Bay Area Rapid Transit • Send bulletin call
• Near real-time alerts • Services disruptions
• Elevator issues
• Email and SMS
• Proactive communications for riders to increase/ maintain satisfaction
30
Upcoming Event: Digital Government & Communications
Keynote Speaker: Peter Sims, author of Little Bets: How Breakthrough Idea Emerge from Small Discoveries Location: Grand Hyatt, 1000 H Street NW, Washington D.C. 20001 Date/Time: Tuesday, October 16, 2012, 7:30am – 12:30pm Cost: There is no charge for government employees, officials, and contractors – breakfast is included
Register online at
http://bit.ly/GovComms1016
Top Related