apidays Paris 2022 - APIs the next 10 years: Software, Society, Sovereignty, Sustainability December 14, 15 & 16, 2022 Lessons from the evolution of API product management over the last 10 years: what they could mean from here Claire Barrett, Director at APIsFirst ------ Check out our conferences at https://www.apidays.global/ Do you want to sponsor or talk at one of our conferences? https://apidays.typeform.com/to/ILJeAaV8 Learn more on APIscene, the global media made by the community for the community: https://www.apiscene.io Explore the API ecosystem with the API Landscape: https://apilandscape.apiscene.io/ Deep dive into the API industry with our reports: https://www.apidays.global/industry-reports/ Subscribe to our global newsletter: https://apidays.typeform.com/to/i1MPEW

1. Lessons from the evolution of
API product management
What it could mean from here
Claire Barrett
December 2022

2. Consultant and technology leader
API-enabled change accelerator
Thought leader
Inclusivity champion
Director, APIsFirst
www.linkedin.com/in/claire-global
Co-founder, The API Collective
www.theapicollective.com
Global lead for Women In APIs
apidays.global/initiatives-women-in-apis

3. 2023 SERIES OF EVENT
New York
May 16&17
Australia
October 11&12
Singapore
April 12&13
Helsinki & North
June 5&6
Paris
SEPTEMBER
London
November
15&16
June 28-30
SILICON VALLEY
March 14&15
Dubai & Middle East
February 22&23

4. Lessons from the evolution of
API product management
● The story so far…
● How it’s playing out…
● What it might look like from here…

5. Why is this important?
Good API products
rely on good API
product managers
Business success
…relies on API
success
…which relies on
API products
Being clear on
the role of the
API product
manager means
they’re set up for
success

6. What we are taking as “given”
APIs matter
API products are important
Organisations are continuing to invest in APIs
APIs will continue to evolve

7. We’re digging deeper into
The API Product Manager
Why the role matters
Why the role will keep evolving
What we think it might evolve to

8. The importance
Source: “Canadian CIOs: Focus on In-Demand IT Roles” - Gartner 2018
“Governs the
evolution of
connections in the
ecosystem and
determines how
they are designed
and monetized.”
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

9. Gartner “The State of the API Industry”
Top ranked factor (across 3 x choices)
1. Missing key roles, such as API
product manager
● 59% of respondents voted in
top three
● 29% as #1 / top ranked
2. Lack of API standards (49%)
3. Lack of skills (43%)
Source: Gartner, Mark O’Neill, apidays Paris December 2022
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

10. How are we seeing this play out in job
descriptions?
“product strategy
and roadmap”
“revenue and customer
satisfaction goals”
“Recommendations…
product base and vision”

11. Let’s review some key
themes from API history…
…from the perspective of the roles
supporting it

12. © APIsFirst Ltd
DX era
Connectivity era
The technology backdrop for APIs as products
Mobile era
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Cloud era
Social media era
eCommerce
era.
Internal APIs

13. Meanwhile, the discipline of
product management has
been evolving…

14. What’s the genealogy of API product management?
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

15. Product management evolution from the 1930s
...through to the 2000s
Services
Process &
automation
Structural
engineering
Projects
Manufacturing
Lean &
features
FMCG &
Marketing Products &
brand Customer,
data & UX
Tech
products
Technology
Agile & s/w
engineering
Platforms &
ecosystems
Digitisation
API
products
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

16. Let’s go back a step
API
products
Tech
products

17. Sources: Will Lawrence https://productlife.to/p/-the-four-pm-archetypes 2021
Sachin Rekhi https://www.sachinrekhi.com/finding-product-culture-fit 2020
Engineering-driven Data-driven Design-driven
Sales-driven
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

18. Applying tech
knowledge for
highest impact
Defining
success,
uncovering
opportunities,
leading fast
execution
Understanding
user problems,
partnering for
right solution
Ensuring
product
success in
market
Engineering-driven Data-driven Design-driven Sales-driven
Engineering-driven Data-driven Design-driven Sales-driven
Sources: Will Lawrence https://productlife.to/p/-the-four-pm-archetypes 2021
Sachin Rekhi https://www.sachinrekhi.com/finding-product-culture-fit 2020 © APIsFirst Ltd 2022

19. Sales-driven

20. What more sales-driven looks like
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

21. Sales-driven
Can be mistaken for :
● API-ifying current products
● Responding to customer / partner / market forces
● Expanding existing APIs’ use
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

22. Focuses on :
● Unlocking value from data via APIs
● API pricing and consumption
● Marketing angle of API portal as
sales channel
Relies on :
● Commercial skills
● Ability to influence beyond
traditional organisational boundaries
Photograph from unsplash.com
Sales-driven
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

23. Engineering-driven

24. Can be mistaken for :
● Leading tech simplification
● Championing API reuse
● Looking after API governance
Engineering-driven
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

25. What more engineering-driven looks like
A large, mature organisation that is:
● Realising value from digital transformation
● Simplifying technology
● Insourcing more and growing engineering talent
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

26. Focuses on :
● API reliability, security and performance
over best API design
● Engineering practices and processes
● High-tech answers to API product problems
Relies on :
● Technical depth and credibility
● Communication skills with engineers and
architects
Engineering-driven
Photograph from unsplash.com
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

27. Data-driven

28. Data-driven
Can be mistaken for:
● Owning API data products
● Unlocking value from data as APIs
● Leveraging AI/ML strengths and investment via APIs
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

29. What more data-driven looks like
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

30. Data-driven
Focuses on :
● Monitoring and synthesising today
● Understanding consumer
onboarding and usage
● Planning “what next?” with APIs
Relies on :
● Statistical and analytical skills
● Communication with data
Photograph from unsplash.com
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

31. Design-driven

32. Can be mistaken for :
● Incubating embedded business models
● Monetising APIs either directly or indirectly
● Creating new API-enabled customer experiences
Design-driven
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

33. What more design-driven looks like
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

34. Focuses on :
● Getting API consumer future
wants and needs
● Consumer endpoint designs
● Design thinking and digital product
design practices
Relies on :
● External community participation
● Story-telling and influence
Design-driven
Photograph from unsplash.com
© APIsFirst Ltd 2022

35. So what does the future look like for the
API product manager role?
Photograph from unsplash.com

36. Prediction #1
API product manager roles will
continue to specialise into subspecies

37. Prediction #2
The organisations that set up
API product management well for success
will be advantaged.

38. Prediction #3
API product managers will be
grown rather than hired

39. © APIsFirst Ltd
THANK YOU
Want to know more?
linkedin.com/in/claire-global
contact@apisfirst.com
www.theapicollective.com