In this webinar, Richard Fong, Technical Solution Consultant with GovDelivery, will explain what an API is and why it’s so essential to the new federal Digital Government roadmap. He’ll provide insight into GovDelivery’s API, which helps automate previously manual processes so you can save time and resources on routine tasks. Richard will also share some exciting government success stories that illustrate how easily and successfully government agencies can leverage APIs to drive efficiency and engagement.

1. Using APIs for Success in
Government
Richard Fong, Technical Implementation Consultant
September 13, 2012
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2. Agenda
• What’s an API?
• Why do APIs matter?
• GovDelivery API
• Success Stories
• Questions
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3. Setting the Stage
• Get to the Web because that is where your customers are!
• “The web browser is no longer the exclusive gateway”*
• People access the content with different devices…
− Smartphones
− Tablets
− Intelligent devices
*What is an API – 3scale.com
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4. What is an API?
• Application Programming Interface  APIs
• “API is specification intended to be used as an interface
by software components to communicate with each other”
- Wikipedia
• Software-to-software
• Applications communicate with each other
• Facilitates the exchange & integration of data between
different systems
• Extend the platform
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5. What is an API?
Not new and many types
*What is an API – 3scale.com
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6. What is an API?
High level view
Requester Provider
API
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7. What is a Web API?
• REpresentational State Transfer architecture
−REST
• Accessible over HTTP
• Operations
−GET, POST, PUT, DELETE
• Messaging via XML or JSON
• Collection of resources
−URIs
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8. APIs In The News!
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9. Real World Examples
• Examples include
• Weather.com
• Global forecast
• Current conditions
• Weather alerts
• Amazon.com
• Product information
• Fulfillment
• Payment
• Google Maps
• Location based
• Mobile apps
• Visualized spatial data
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10. GovDelivery Web API
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11. Overview of Digital Communication Management
Messaging Reach more people
GovDelivery Network Cross-promote for more impact
Social Drive deeper engagement
Automation Enable tight integration
Mobile Communicate anytime, anywhere
Analytics & Filtering Measure the impact
Emergency Notification Keep the public safe and informed
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12. How the Public Uses DCM
1. Citizens see 2. Citizens select only 3. Personalized messages 4. Citizens share
opportunity to the types of are sent automatically message with friends
stay engaged with information they want via email, text and acquaintance
organization of to receive. message, or RSS and reach of original
interest communication is
extended.
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13. How You Use DCM
1. Identify existing 2. Simply point 3. GovDelivery 4. GovDelivery creates
content – web GovDelivery to proactively monitors and sends formatted,
pages, RSS the content sources for changes multi-channel
feeds, social or updates messages to
media accounts subscribers (or a draft
and/or document is created for your
files. approval)
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14. Deep experience – Substantial scale
• More than 550 public sector organizations manage their digital communications
though GovDelivery
• More than one billion messages are sent quarterly by government agencies
through GovDelivery
• 30,000 people sign up every day through GovDelivery to receive digital messages
from the government
• Client messages have an industry-leading deliverability rate greater than 99%
• Clients typically grow the base of people they reach by 75% in the first year
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15. GovDelivery Web API
• Representational State Transfer (REST) architecture
− Industry standard
• All requests goes through SSL
− Secure
• Messaging via XML
• Client implementations using
− JAVA
− .NET C#, ASP, VB
− PERL
− php
• Open the GovDelivery platform to solve problems
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16. GovDelivery API
• Exposed resources (URIs)
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17. GovDelivery API
Create subscribers
Manage topics
Send bulletins
GovDelivery Platform GovDelivery
API
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18. Success Stories
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19. GovDelivery API – Examples
U.S. Census Bureau Mobile Application
• Provides access to key economic
indicators about the U.S. economy
• Allow subscribers to get alerts
to 13 different economic
indicator topics
• Android and iOS
• Extend their reach
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20. GovDelivery API – Examples
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
• Subscriber and Subscriber Topics call
• Create and update subscribers
• Assign and update subscribers
to more than 15 grants topics
• Daily batch process to sync
internal grantees database
with GovDelivery
• Automate process and
reduce staff resources
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21. GovDelivery API – Examples
U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration
• Bulletins APIs
• Provide airworthiness
information for all parts of an
airplane
• Provide critical updates on
equipment to keep public
safe & inform stakeholders
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22. GovDelivery API – Examples
Internal Revenue Service
• Check on refund status
• Access easy-to-understand tax tips
• Get tax tips email alerts
• Subscriber API
• Increase reach and capture many
new subscribers
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23. GovDelivery API – Examples
National Weather Service
• Automate tsunami Warning
Messages
• Near real-time alerts
• Email and SMS
• Send bulletin call
• Automate the delivery of
messages
• Life-saving, critical
information with high
deliverability guarantee
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24. GovDelivery API – Examples
National Heart Lung and
Blood Institute (NHLBI)
• Category and Topics API
• Customized
subscription form
• Offers greater
control over agency
branding
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25. GovDelivery API – Examples
City of Fullerton, CA
• Subscriber API
• Crime alert updates
• Offers quick subscribe
capability to specific police
district via mapping tool or
address match
• Greater integration across
various databases, helps
keep citizens safe &
informed
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26. GovDelivery API – Examples
Medicines and Healthcare
products Regulatory Agency,
UK
• Bulletins API
• Ensure medicines and medical
devices work
• Effectively communicate
accurate and timely information
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27. GovDelivery API – Examples
Pure Michigan -- Michigan’s Official Travel Site
• Subscriber and Subscriber Topics call
• Create and update subscribers
• Assign subscribers to Fall Colors Updates
• More flexibility in integrating to existing forms
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28. GovDelivery API – Examples
Bay Area Rapid Transit
• Send bulletin call
• Near real-time alerts
• Services disruptions
• Elevator issues
• Email and SMS
• Proactive
communications for
riders to increase/
maintain satisfaction
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29. Questions?
Richard Fong
Technical Implementation Consultant
richard.fong@govdelivery.com
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30. Upcoming Event: Digital Government & Communications
Keynote Speaker: Peter Sims, author of Little
Bets: How Breakthrough Idea Emerge from
Small Discoveries
Location: Grand Hyatt, 1000 H Street NW,
Washington D.C. 20001
Date/Time: Tuesday, October 16, 2012,
7:30am – 12:30pm
Cost: There is no charge for government
employees, officials, and contractors –
breakfast is included
Register online at
http://bit.ly/GovComms1016
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