The API Roadmap
As businesses opt to extend their capabilities across geographies, devices, groups and channels, RESTFUL
APIs offer an opportunity to present that capability to more customers. Those customers can be internal to an organisation or external consumers in the wider community. However, APIs alone are not the full story. They don't address key security concerns, the quality of a service, or the lifecycle of the service itself. An API Roadmap gives you a high-level plan on how to implement and market an API.An enterprise API is a product and needs to be treated as such. Implementing an API requires a plan that includes technical, business, risk, marketing and community engagement. The API Roadmap provides enterprises with a clear direction on how their people, processes and tools will drive a successful API for launch and beyond.
Manage your API
Developing trust with your developer community is key to the success of your API. Best-managed APIs allow open communication about progress at any time.
Managing your API includes:
Ease of access to community
If your API isn't easy to find or access, no one will use it. Providing a well-supported self-service
environment is a great way to increase adoption. Using an API management tool to create
your own marketplace can help promote your API in this booming industry.
Be active in the API economy
Metrics on the usage and adoption of your API can help your business
focus new initiatives in the right areas. Help the business drive new revenue streams
through the development of new products.
EMPLOY GOVERNANCE
Not only will you need to manage your API, but you will also need to manage the
people who use it, and any relevant policies. Governance application will rely
heavily on the goals and objectives set by the internal IT business.
MONITOR USAGE
Simply having an API is not enough. You need to monitor its use.
Reports on usage, traffic, as well as referrals for usage, will help ensure a
thriving and relevant developer community for your API.
BUILD YOUR BRAND
What's your API strategy? How will you stand out from your competitors?
Is your API visible to the biggest market? Building a reputation for ease of use, value and
functionality will help you define your API brand in the market.
Your brand is a key tool in retaining a large and active API community.
Your API brand message should focus on value, perception, reputation and retention.
APIs ARE PRODUCTS
Treat your API as a product and create a mindset to focus on things such as packaging,
lifecycle, product management such as releases and deprecation.
Your team must understand clients' goals to achieve the reach and impact required to ensure a return from
your API. Focus on the quality of service, scale and longevity of your API, as well as its evolution in the market.
YOUR API ROADMAP
The API roadmap details the steps for infrastructure implementation, building your API brand,
analysing the API economy, defining your governance structures as well as the processes that will
help accelerate business delivery and community uptake. Start with a simple 90-day plan to help
the business determine the effectiveness of your API in the market. It also ensures a timeline for delivery.
Software & Products
There are a variety of products on the market that help you manage your API roadmap, simply and efficiently. Syntegrity works with multiple partners and can help you choose the best product to suit your business needs.
IBM API Connect | Mulesoft Integration
