Realising API potential
Aligning teams and
strategies behind
API investment
June 2021
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Introductions
© APIsFirst Ltd - all rights reserved
Claire Barrett
Director, APIsFirst
www.linkedin.com/in/claire-global
Consultant and technology
leader who makes strategy
happen
Realising the full potential
of APIs
Global Women In APIs
community leader

Source : McKinsey & Company report January 2021 “COVID-19: An inflection point for Industry 4.0”
“Industry 4.0” transformation plans in 2021 :
Acceleration on multiple fronts
Selective solutions in priority areas
Pause
21 %
60 %
19 %

API strategy + investment = $$$$
Why is it so hard?

1. Know your stakeholders
2. Find direct benefits
3. Measure the right things

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APIs as architecture
APIs as products
APIs as a mindset
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8
Who benefits from APIs ?
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Introducing a fictional mature company

Karl
Enterprise Architect
API comments:
● It feels good to be the API expert now that more people ‘get it’.
● Our standards and guidelines aren’t right yet : APIs are proliferating
● If only the APIM was fully implemented...

Sanjay
Program Director, Digital Transformation
API comments:
● Digitisation, digitisation, digitisation
● AI, cloud and cybersecurity are our priorities right now.
● When they’re ready, APIs will speed up integration and
reduce the cost of IT changes.

Jennifer
Managing Director, Key Customer Accounts
API comments:
● Our more tech-savvy customers want more business via APIs.
● It’s up to the digital team and the CTO/CIO to make it happen.
● What are our other companies doing?

Sponsors Transformers
Technologists

Sponsors Transformers
Explorers
Elders
Navigators
Technologists

Sponsors Transformers
Technologists

Sponsors Transformers
Technologists
? ?
?
Where is the API centre of gravity?

?
?
?
Where is the API centre of gravity?

2. Where are the API benefits?
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Beware the API indirect benefits trap

Sponsors Transformers
Technologists
Improve customer data exchange
Unlock new value streams

Sponsors Transformers
Technologists
Accelerate digitisation
Make it easier to change → scaled agile

Sponsors Transformers
Technologists
Reduce IT risk
Simplify technology architecture

Sponsors Transformers
Technologists
Reduce IT risk
Simplify technology architecture
Improve customer data exchange
Unlock new value streams
Accelerate digitisation
Make it easier to change → scaled agile

The API
Benefits Two-step
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Sponsors Transformers
Technologists
↑ API discoverability
↓ Time for API onboarding
Reduce IT risk
Simplify technology architecture
Accelerate digitisation
Make it easier to change → scaled agile
1
2
2

Sponsors Transformers
Technologists
↑ API reuse
↑ API know-how
Reduce IT risk
Simplify technology architecture
Improve customer data exchange
Unlock new value streams
1
2
2

Improve customer data exchange
Unlock new value streams
Accelerate digitisation
Make it easier to change →
scaled agile
Sponsors Transformers
Technologists
↑ Customer self-service
↑ API-enabled innovation
1
2
2

Sponsors Transformers
↑ Customer self-service
↑ API-enabled innovation
↑ API discoverability
↓ Time for API onboarding
↑ API reuse
↑ API know-how

2. How do you hold on to people’s attention?
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Choose the right metrics for the right time

# of APIs
# of API calls
# of registered developers
# of developers per application
# of applications reused
# of users via ecosystem
Ratio of API-enabled apps driving new revenues

Return on investment
Productivity
Customer retention

New metrics :
bar-setting
Current metrics :
bar-raising

New metrics :
bar-setting
Current metrics :
bar-raising
60% 40%

How long to wait between
results?
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Connect to others’ success
Own direct benefits
Show results often

Realising API potential
Find out more
Claire Barrett
Diretor, APIsFirst
www.linkedin.com/in/claire-global
© All rights reserved