How to talk about APIs to your mom, your boss, or other non-technical people. Delivered at the London Tech Evangelist Meetup in November 2014.

1. Carlo Longino
VP Developer Program Services
carlo@wip.org
APIs FOR… YOUR MOM
November 11, 2014
London Tech Evangelists Meetup

2. About WIP Factory
• The first B2D marketing
agency
• Strategic consulting and
outreach services
• API providers, platform
vendors, device makers,
developer programs of all
stripes
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3. Intro
• How do we talk about APIs to non-technical
people?
• How do we begin to build a case for an API
program?
• What do non-technical people need to
understand about APIs?
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4. A Framework
What is an
API?
What do
APIs do?
Why do I
want one?
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5. Defining APIs
• Expressing the idea behind APIs in relatively simple,
straightforward terms
• Technology is less important than understanding
• Nobody likes a pedant
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6. Defining APIs
• “Application progamming interface.”
• “A set of routines, protocols, and tools for building
software applications. An API expresses a software
component in terms of its operations, inputs, outputs,
and underlying types.” (Wikipedia)
• “Sets of requirements that govern how one application
can talk to another.” (ReadWriteWeb)
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7. Defining APIs
• “With APIs, applications talk to each other without any
user knowledge or intervention.” (HowStuffWorks)
• “An API is code that allows two software programs to
communicate with each other.” (TechTarget)
• “Just think of APIs as shipping containers transporting
content between ports of call.” (APIs for Dummies)
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8. Defining APIs
• An API allows different computer systems or services to
talk, share data and content, and interact.
• An API is a way for a developer, company or service to
say, “Here’s what you can access, and how.”
• What’s your definition?
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9. What APIs Do
• Share data
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10. What APIs Do
• Share content
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11. What APIs Do
• Share resources, like authentication
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12. What APIs Do
• Embed content from one app/service in another
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13. What APIs Do
• Make mobile apps work
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14. What APIs Do
• Power internal projects and services
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15. Choosing Examples
• Keep them relevant
– i.e. avoid ridiculous mashups when there are better ones
• Keep them context-relevant
– Location
– Application
– Familiarity
• Showcases from APIs you like
• API vendors (sometimes)
• Competitors
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16. Live Examples
• IFTTT or Zapier
• Be sure to test them first
– Put on your non-technical person hat
• Be mindful of what was said earlier about ridiculous
mashups
• Is there a personally relevant example you can use?
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17. Why Do I Want an API?
• The “What’s in it for me?” part
• Remember: what excites you as a
technologist/developer may not be what excites
your audience
• Consider biz models/benefits
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18. Why Do I Want an API?
© Wireless Industry Partnership Connector Inc.
Increased
revenue
Lower
costs
New
users
Faster
time to
market
Stickiness
/lock-in
Wider
content
spread
Lead
generation
Increased
traffic
INNOVATION

19. A Few Notes
• Things not to talk about
– Roy Fielding, REST vs SOAP vs …, Hypermedia
• Security/control/limitations
– Partner programs, internal APIs
• Manage expectations
– Toe a fine line between building enthusiasm/support and
impossibly inflating expectations
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20. INNOVATION
Starts with Developers
Let us Build your Developer Ecosystem
Strategy, Onboarding, Outreach, Events
Carlo Longino, VP of Developer Program Services
carlo@wip.org
Community: www.wip.org
Agency: www.wipfactory.com
© Wireless Industry Partnership Connector Inc.
Vancouver, Canada – Austin, USA – Barcelona, Spain