Learn why an API strategy is critical to business success in the business landscape from project, program, product, platform to ecosystems, and economy. Real examples of platform and API strategies will inspire you to implement a concrete plan across your organization.

1. APIs and Platforms
Transforming Industries and Experiences
#APIDaysFinland

3. API and Platform
Strategies
Emmelyn Wang, Catalyst lifewingmate

6. lifewingmate
The control and flow patterns of data, functionality, and
resources determine how quickly the API shapes the
landscape and vice versa.
- Emmelyn Wang
Accelerate

7. Project
Program
Platform
Ecosystem
Economy
lifewingmate
Landscape
B2B Scenarios - To succeed, realize that digital cannot replace the relational
human element. Each layer contributes to the quality of the experience—
that’s how you build sustainably.
You may think that success comes from this level of work….when we challenge
this view for resource allocation……

8. lifewingmate
The control and flow patterns of data

9. Friction My data is locked in various applications and
platforms

10. lifewingmate
The control and flow patterns of functionality

11. Friction I’m trying to complete an insurance
claim on the app after my accident or natural
disaster

12. lifewingmate The control and flow patterns of resources
Talent
Funding
Time
Tools
Partners

13. Friction What kind of team do I groom, grow,
and/or hire to compete in the API Economy?

14. PRODUCT
Program
Platform
Ecosystem
Economy
lifewingmate
Landscape
Instead of the 1st view of layers:
Challenge the value creation of projects with a
product view for long-term resource allocation

15. Product Leader
How do I choose which API to build or consume?
How do I partner with Engineering to rank
stakeholder concerns in the API Design?
What business results move the needle?

16. Engineering Leader
How do I keep my developers and DevOps happy?
How do I manage technical debt while making
progress on the business results from R&D?
How do we reinforce API Design Guidelines while
remaining agile?

17. Play
Give stakeholders
time to
experience the
API Value
01
Consider the
audience
02
Show the UI or
mock the
experience
03
Pair the
experience with
"what's under the
hood".
04

18. Show the UI or
mock the
experience
03 Pair the
experience with
"what's under the
hood".
04

19. Network Effect
“…means that the benefit to a person depends on the
number of users. There are two main types of networks
effects: direct and indirect…In the API economy, indirect
network effects emphasize the provision of compatible
and complementary services and applications.” – Authors
of API Economy 101
lifewingmate
Verkostovaikutus

20. Risk of
Disintermediation
“…network members bypass a hub and connect directly, can
be a big problem for any platform that captures value directly
from matching or by facilitating transactions.” -HBR
Value that can’t be captured by API or platform, offline is potentially lost digitally despite terms & conditions.
However, you can capture the value in other ways.
lifewingmate

21. Platform Strategy
lifewingmate
Due to the low cost nature of using multiple
platforms or hubs, companies such as Uber and
Lyft must work to overcome this network effect by
incentivizing users and service providers.
–HBR
Vulnerability to
Multi-Homing

22. Platform Strategy
lifewingmate
Due to the low cost nature of using multiple platforms
or hubs, [entertainment and media content and
streaming] companies [or business units] such as
[Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, Netflix, Hulu, HBO
Go] must work to overcome this network effect by
incentivizing users and service providers.
Vulnerability to
Multi-Homing

23. Platform Strategy
Expand and modernize
the platform based on
diverse usage models
Balance hardware and
software limitations
Subscription Packages Buy another platform
to extend the value of
yours
lifewingmate

24. API Strategy
Expand and modernize
the platform based on
diverse usage models
Balance hardware and
software limitations
Subscription Packages Buy another platform
to extend the value of
yours
lifewingmate

25. Expand and modernize
the platform based on
diverse usage models
Balance hardware and
software limitations
Subscription Packages Buy another platform
to extend the value of
yours
lifewingmate
Software
Limitations by
Hardware
Device
Operating System
Physical Region
ISP
Diverse Usage
Model
Where, how, when,
what type
Merger &
Acquisition
Reconciling APIs
with similar data
and functionality
Subscription
Types of Exclusive
Content
Without Ads
Stream in car, phone,
home, online
Mobile v Web app

26. Expand and modernize
the platform based on
diverse usage models
Balance hardware and
software limitations
Subscription Packages
Buy another platform
to extend the value of
yours

27. It’s through people, relationships, and
communication that we can digitize the parts of
the industry or business that make sense—
technology alone won’t fix an experience with too
much friction unless the friction generates
some kind of value.

28. API
Architecture

29. Partnership |Navigating Constraints
Managing Tradeoffs
WHY Software Architecture decisions defend both the
technical and business choices
API Architecture(s) chosen affect cost, scale, modularity
Sources: Mark Richards and Neal Fordlifewingmate

30. O’Reilly Sources: Mark Richards and Neal Ford
Microservices
Service-based
Layered
Event-Driven
Pipeline
Microkernel
Space-based

31. Partnership | Navigating Constraints
Unfortunately, you can’t just combine the best aspects of
each Software Architecture….
That is why partnering with Business is the best way IT can
navigate API Architecture(s) to control cost, scale, and
design for modularity and reuse.
lifewingmate

32. …incentivizing users and service providers
by understanding the
“360-degree listening experience”
of the Sirius XM ecosystem.
lifewingmate

33. Listen. Anywhere.
Stream SiriusXM online, on the app, and on dozens of connected
devices, plus get thousands of hours of on demand content

35. Intentional Design
Friction that generates some kind of

36. https://developer.amazon.com/blogs/alexa/post/d2e37517-a990-4b1c-a07b-5ebf0d6e05dc/siriusxm-now-available-to-device-makers-building-with-the-alexa-voice-service
+

37. Relationships drive platform experience

38. Relationships reduce friction

39. Authorized Distribution versus Regular
eCommerce

40. Developers drive API and platform experience

41. Design the API with the Developer in mind

42. DevPortal
API Specification
Systems that
balance and
integrate a variety
of considerations
Experience
lifewingmate
Culture is the toughest piece, not the technology itself.
DevPortals with shared alignment are centered around the API
specification.

43. Authentication
This collection uses the variable Bearer {{oauth_token}}
and content-type headers. When you run the calls, you
may need to set up global authorization so that every call
authenticates successfully.
Code Samples
The source for these code samples is JSON according to
the OpenAPI version 2 specification.
CODE SAMPLE OPTIONS
Generated in this API documentation
 cURL
 jQuery
 Ruby
 Python Requests
 Node
 PHP
 Go
The "Generate Code Snippets" feature
within the native offers
 HTTP
 C (LibCurl)
 cURL
 C# (RestSharp)
 Go
 Java
 JavaScript
 NodeJS
 Objective-C (NSURL)
 OCaml (Cohttp)
 PHP
 Python
 Ruby (NET::Http)
 Shell
 Swift (NSURL)

44. Contextual clues The request body uses the collection body form so that the reference descriptions show
a bolded field name, data type, and the textual information about the field. In the text section, required, and
default values are bolded.
The major difference between the request and response bodies are the request descriptions advising what
valid values and where you can get data from (such as using another API call) and what format the data
must conform to for the request body to work.
EXAMPLE RESPONSE
The response descriptions are written in tables. See the entire table by hovering over the bottom center of
the response table a "Click to Expand" button pops up. Click on this button and the table opens up in a
modul on its own page over the main documentation. Click the X on the top right of the modal to go back to
the API Reference.
Multiple versions
When viewing the code samples, if more than one example request/response pair exists, the top Example
Requestwill have a chevron arrow next to the name of the request. You can toggle among the different code
samples for that API call. You'll notice that the Example Response will show a different success or error
code which corresponds to the type of method (HTTP verb) used on the resource. POST generally results
in a 201 Created, for example.

46. Communities drive platform experience

47. A handshake is worth more than a
click.
-Tim Falls, SendGrid

48. Developer and Technology Leaders
The technology I use and the performance provided matters because my
reputation and career depends on it.
- Concept by Matthew Revell, Hoopy.io

49. Sense and Sensibility
How Human and Seamless is Your API Experience?

50. APIs drive the experience, but it is part of the larger
strategy.
Overcome platform network effects by recognizing
the patterns including overcoming multi-homing and
disintermediation.
Value comes from relationships, community, and
adopting a strategy that includes well thought out
APIs to incentivize business activities inside and
around the organization.

52. Kiitos!

53. The more complete the
Platform and Ecosystem
experience, the higher the
Market Position
lifewingmate
Pixabay | Image Credit: DavidbyDesign

54. APIs drive platform experience

55. Images
Pixabay except for BMW Connected Car, Sirius XM, Apple Music, Hulu, Spotify, Pandora, Texas Circle Flag and where noted
Texas Flag https://www.sccpre.cat/
Andrew Wilkinsn https://medium.com/@awilkinson/skateboard-bike-car-6bec841ed96e
Microsoft Sparkling Heart Emoji https://emojipedia.org/sparkling-heart/
Books
Continuous API Management | O’Reilly by Erik Wilde, Mehdi Majoui, et al
API Economy 101, Jarkko Moilanen, Marjukka Niinioja, et al

56. Articles
https://www.wired.com/insights/2014/07/apis-fast-lane/
https://www.wired.com/2012/12/automotive-os-war/
https://apifriends.com/api-management/connected-automotive/
https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/sirius-xm-completes-acquisition-of-pandora-1203125882/
https://developer.amazon.com/alexa-voice-service
https://blog.axway.com/hybrid-integration/imagine-summit-customer-panel
https://blog.axway.com/digital-business/digital-transformation-business-results
https://www.wired.com/story/netflix-hulu-spotify-shared-account-freeloaders/
https://elonen.iki.fi/code/misc-notes/finnish-name-generator/?first=Emmelyn&sur=Wang&gender=f
https://issuu.com/finnair_bluewings/docs/bluewings_05-2019_issuu
https://ahamediagroup.com/blog/2014/12/confessions-of-a-content-strategist-emmelyn-wang/
https://apifriends.com/digital-strategy/8-api-trends-for-2019/
https://apifriends.com/api-management/mature-api/
https://apifriends.com/api-management/api-portals/
Doc Example https://documenter.getpostman.com/view/4108327/RVu7ETjY?version=latest
Dev Portal Glossary https://developer.uship.com/uShip_glossary
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/mostRecentIssue.jsp?punumber=6996670
https://devrel.net/strategy-and-metrics/strategy-for-developer-outreach

57. Articles
Which Industries are the Most Digital (and Why) | HBR
https://hbr.org/2016/04/a-chart-that-shows-which-industries-are-the-most-digital-and-why
Transformation (is not just about) Technology https://hbr.org/2019/03/digital-transformation-is-not-about-technology
Ecosystem-Based Business Models | Accenture Strategy https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/strategy/ecosystem-playbook-agility-growth
Welcome to the API Economy https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/welcome-to-the-api-economy/
The emerging API economy is transforming the way businesses are built and operated | IPG Media Lab
https://medium.com/ipg-media-lab/what-is-the-api-economy-and-how-brands-can-benefit-from-it-b46210d0434d
Why Some Platforms Thrive and Others Don’t | HBR https://hbr.org/2019/01/why-some-platforms-thrive-and-others-dont
6 Reasons Platforms Fail https://platformed.info/platform-failure-why-the-mighty-fail/
https://www.wired.com/2015/10/why-homejoy-failed/