A New Breed of Technical Leaders: The 101 to Defining Your API Business Strategy

Copyright © 2001-2013 SOA Software, Inc. All Rights Reserved.Copyright © 2001-2013 SOA Software, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
A New Breed of Technical
Leaders:
The 101 to Defining Your API
Business Strategy
Laura Heritage
@heritagelaura

Dramatization of a Typical Scenario
Some C Level
Mr. Enterprise Architect I
just talked to X Analyst.
We need APIs. APIs
are our #1 priority
Enterprise / API
Architect
We’ve been doing APIs for Years with SOA.
We just need to revamp the SOAP to REST.
Executive Business
Sponsor
Mr. Enterprise Architect,
what on earth is that
going to do for my
business?
Woo Hoo! I finally get the
gov. platform I’ve needed
to manages our internal
services!!!
Hmmm?
We need an API Platform to help us do that
revamp and an API Platform provides easier
consumption, security, monetization etc. , .
Mr. Business Sponsor can I have the $ for
the platform?

APIs – Extend the Reach of your Business
Enterprise / API
Architect
Executive Business
Sponsor
APIs Extend the
reach of your
business……
That is IT mumbo jumbo.
What does that mean?

STOP The SHOW!!!!

To an Architect the Benefits are Obvious,
Typically Seen in 4 Adoption Patterns
Accelerate
Drive Monetize
Analyze
APIs
• 4 External Innovation
• 3 Partner
• 2 Mobile
• 1 Internal

Your Business Executives Will Not Find it Obvious.
Show them the MONEY!

For Example Take a Banking Scenario
Executive Business
Sponsor
I want to streamline the way we
reach and sell/upsell to small to
medium business to grow
revenue.
Enterprise / API
Architect
We have core business function that
would help SMB run their businesses
easier. We could expose these as
APIs/services and either sell them or
give them away to SMBs as a
mechanism to get more business from
the SMB market.
Tell me more

Do Your Research,
Build a Straw Man Business Case
• Show what your competitors are doing
• Show a business case with projection of
revenue impact
• Show them a pilot execution plan

Success but Now What?
Enterprise / API
Architect
Yes! Success I get my
management platform!
Executive Business
Sponsor
Sounds good.
What do we need to do?.

Must Treat Your API As a Product
API
The Product
MARKET ANALYSIS
BUSINESS CASE
ESTABLISH TEAM
COMMUNICATION PLAN
BUSINESS MODEL
LEGAL
MARKETING
SALES ENABLEMENT
SUPPORT
SALES EXECUTION
TECHNICAL PLATFORM
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

Digital Stakeholders In the Enterprise
Executive Business
Sponsor
API Product
Manager
Chief Digital
Officer
API Developer
Developer Advocate Digital Marketing Digital Sales
Enterprise / API
Architect
Chief information
Security Officer
Operations Lead
Executive Sponsors
Go To Market
API Team

Understand the Value Chain Of the API
App Developer /
Partner
End User
AP
I
AP
P
API Product
Manager
API Product Manager must understand not only how
a Developer or Partner would use the API, but also
why an End User would use the Developer/Partners
APP

Where Do You Source The API From?
Business Process SOA Services
Databases
Cloud Services
Mainframe Applications BI Systems

API Business Models - Basic
Courtesy of John Musser
API Product
Manager
Executive Business
Sponsor

API Business Models – A closer look
Courtesy of John Musser

Communication Plans Are Important
For example: What should happen when a partner/developer reports a problem?
App Developer /
Partner
I found a Problem
API Product
Manager
Developer Advocate
1. Opens a ticket
2. Notified received ticket
3. Notified of problem
3. Is Notified if Major Problem
5. It is Fixed
App Developer /
Partner Community
4. Informed of Issue
API Developer
5. Informed of Fix
Chief information
Security Officer
3. Is Notified if
Security Related

How Does the Partner Submit an Problem?
API Developer

API Legal Aspects Need Your Attention
API Product
Manager

Information Security, Need I Say More?
Chief information
Security Officer
PCI Data Security Photo by Purpleslog on flickr

API Marketing Plan
Digital Marketing
Executive
• What type of developer/partners are you
targeting?
• Does the API/Service you are delivering meet their
needs?
• What types of message resonate?
• What types of campaigns will you need?
• Can you reach your targets through trade shows?
• Will a hackathon increase adoption or provide
benefit?
• Do you have to hire an outside marketing team to
help reach your target?

Developer and Partner Outreach
App Developer /
Partner
Developer Advocate
How are you going to reach them?
How are you going to communicate with them?

Establish an API Sales Plan If You are Monetizing
Digital Sales
Executive
It is not a “build it they will come”
Without a proper sales plan you will FAIL

Each Stakeholder will Need Tools to Be
Successful
• Measure the impact of your
programsAnalytics
• Build your developer and partner
ecosystemDeveloper Engagement
• Secure and protect your systemsGateway Services
• Simplify and speed up developmentService Integration
• Build the right services & APIs the
right wayLifecycle Management

API Platforms Address the Needs of Multiple
Stakeholders
Platform
Licensing
Quota Mgmt.
Partner Mgmt.
PCI Compliance
Provisioning
Policy Mgmt.
Monitoring
OAuth
Federation
Analytics
Lifecycle
API/Services
Application
User
Compliance
Integrations
Gateway
Security
Authentication
Protection
IAM Integration
Encryption
Mediation
Quality of Service
Paging/Caching
Orchestration
Scripting
API Portal
Search
Documentation
Groups
Social

The Unified SOA & API Platform
Analytics
Developer Engagement
Gateway Services
Service Integration
Lifecycle Management

Unified Platform that Supports Each Stakeholder

Flexible Deployment Model

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