The document discusses the essential knowledge product leaders need regarding APIs, emphasizing their role in the digital economy and as critical connectors in modern ecosystems. It covers API product design, strategy, and execution, including methodologies for customer-centric design and the importance of treating APIs as products to achieve digital business success. Key takeaways include understanding the value proposition of APIs and how to effectively implement them within an organization.

1. 5 things every product leader
needs to know about API
Andrea Zulian, Swisscom AG
Amancio Bouza, PhD, Innovation Process Technology AG
Institute for Product Leadership, Webinar, May 15th 2018

2. 1. Let’s start with
Why
2

3. World’s Economy has Changed
3

4. Digital Economy
4

5. Digital Economy
5

6. Fintech Ecosystem and Open Banking
6

7. “APIs are the connective tissue in today’s
ecosystems. For companies who know how to
implement them, they can cut costs, improve
efficiency, and help the bottom line.”
-- McKinsey
7

8. Example: In-Car Delivery
8

9. She missed the package delivery whilst she is at work.
#G@$%&!
9
1 missed
delivery!

10. She provides car info, location, and limited access to the
trunk
10

11. Deliverer locates and finds the car
11

12. 12
He gets limited access to the car’s trunk to deliver package

13. He puts package into the trunk
13

14. She gets notified that package is delivered to car
14

15. She gets the package before safely driving home
15

16. Build Ecosystem around Customer Journey
16

17. Look outside.
But don’t forget to look inside!
17

18. 18
• All teams will expose their data and functionality through
interfaces.
• Teams must communicate with each other through these
interfaces.
• There will be no other form of inter-process communication
allowed
• All service interfaces, without exception, must be designed
from the ground up to be externalizable. No exceptions.
• Anyone who doesn’t do this will be fired.
Jeff Bezos’Memo in 2002

19. 2. What is an API?
19

20. What is anAPI?
20
API:Application Programming Interface

21. Paradigm Shift: From API to VPI
21

22. 22

23. 23

24. API Product: Identity
24

25. API Product: Identity
25
Based on the customer info
in the CRM system of
Swisscom

26. API Product: Identity
26
Based on the customer info
in the CRM system of
Swisscom
Customer API provides all
info about a Swisscom
customer.

27. API Product: Identity
27
Based on the customer info
in the CRM system of
Swisscom
Customer API provides all
info about a Swisscom
customer.
Why should anybody outside
Swisscom care?

28. API Product: Identity
28
Based on the customer info
in the CRM system of
Swisscom
Customer API provides all
info about a Swisscom
customer.
Why should anybody outside
Swisscom care?
What’s the job-to-get-done
of companies?

29. API Product: Identity
29
Based on the customer info
in the CRM system of
Swisscom
Customer API provides all
info about a Swisscom
customer.
Why should anybody outside
Swisscom care?
What’s the job-to-get-done
of companies?
Verify identity of prospect
customer.

30. API Product: Identity
30
Based on the customer info
in the CRM system of
Swisscom
Customer API provides all
info about a Swisscom
customer.
Why should anybody outside
Swisscom care?
What’s the job-to-get-done
of companies?
Verify identity of prospect
customer.
Value proposition:
Service to verify the identity
of a person.

31. “Ultimately, the API is about
an interface to a value proposition,
not to an application.”

32. Digitization or
Digitalization or
Digital Transformation?
32

33. 33

34. 34

35. 35

36. Two Breeds of API
36

37. Peter Ducker’s
Paradigm of
Change
Strategy, Tactics, Operations
37
Paradigm of
Change
-- Peter Drucker

40. “… treating APIs as products
increases the chances for digital
business success.”
-- Gartner
40

41. Guide to the Most Valuable Design
41

42. 3. How to do
API Product Design
42

43. Desirability: Customer-Centric Design
43

44. 44

45. 45

46. 46

47. VPI Canvas
47

48. 48

49. 4. How to do
API Product Strategy

50. Viability: Product Strategy
50

51. A compass for you API Product
51

52. API Product Board

53. Identify the main product features
Based on the Value Proposition, the
customer, and his needs
53

54. API Product Board
1
1
1
1

55. Competitive Analysis
Identifying your competitors and evaluating their
strategies to determine their strengths and weaknesses
55

56. API Product Board
1
1
1
1
2

57. Business Context
Identifying the key players and main strategy within
your organization
57

58. API Product Board
1
1
1
1
2
3

59. InnovationAmbition Matrix & Stakeholders Map
59

60. Business Goals
Define the business goals of your API Product
considering your company’s overall strategy
60

61. API Product Board
1
1
1
1
2
3 4

62. Cost Structure and Revenue Model
Define the API Product’s cost structure
(Delivery + Operations)
Define the revenue model of your API Product taking in
consideration:
your company’s and competitor’s strategies
The product’s cost structure
62

63. API Product Board
1
1
1
1
2
3 4
5
5

64. API Business Model Chart by John Musser, 2013

65. API Product Roadmap
Map Product Features to (prioritized) Business Goals
and define the API Product Roadmap
65

66. API Product Roadmap
66

67. Build a Minimal Viable Desirable Feasible Product
(MVP)

68. Prototype-First
To validate the (MVP) features even before implement it
68

69. 6954

70. API Product Roadmap
70

71. 5. How to do
API Product Execution
71

72. Feasibility: Product Execution
72

73. Lean Startup

74. Meta process
74
Problem-Solution Fit
validate qualitatively
Product-Market Fit
verify quantitatively
Scale

75. LeanAPI Development Process
75
Problem-Solution Fit
validate qualitatively
Product-Market Fit
verify quantitatively

76. Let’s wrap up
76

77. 1. Know that API and its crucial role in the Digital Economy
2. Know about API and VPI (Value Proposition Interface) is
3. Know how to do API Product Design
4. Know how to do API Product Strategy
5. Know how to do API Product Execution
5 Things you now know aboutAPI
77

78. Key Take-Aways
78
API Product Design
API Product Strategy
API Product Execution

79. Andrea Zulian
Senior Product Manager
Swisscom AG
Amancio Bouza, PhD
Principal Consultant
Innovation Process Technology
Start treatingAPIs as Products for Digital Business Success
79
www.apiproductmanagement.com