treat your api like a product
TRANSCRIPT
APIs need product managers
Treating your API like a product
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
If so, you can manage APIs.
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Here’s why
1- APIs are products 2- Sell a product rather than service 3- How to turn an API into a product
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
My name is ....
title
twitter handler / email
I've studied philosophy but my head ended up in the cloud.
!CMO @OAuth_io
Follow me @Philocrate
About Me
@OAuth_io
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
“An API is a medium"
Just a tool to deliver software?
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
S3, EC2, Mailjet, Twilio… Not just a way to deliver.
APIs are products
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
How did APIs become so popular?
Because these are products.
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Made APIs popular: EC2, S3, SES…
Productization started in 2006
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Wait. “API productization?”
It sounds like another buzzword but...
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Building products
That’s what they do
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Before productization (SOA)
Internal: Only potential
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
After productization (API)
External: Usable
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Productization is vital
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
= extract killer features from a particular medium, to turn it into a
usable, marketable product.
What Bezos / Jobs did
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Bezos didn’t invent REST, Jobs didn’t invent touch-screens.
Product Management Is Key
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Hum. Sceptic?
Not convinced?
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Know this startup?
= 100% API-driven
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Know this guy?
Ex Product Manager @Amazon
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Back to classic definitions
Still valid?
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
= Physical Good
Product
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
= Immaterial
Service
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Pay attention to the “as a.”
Careful with "SaaS"
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
“As a service” means you are selling a product, not a service
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
“SaaS”, “Web Service”...
= Business Model / Tech Notion
= “Get the advantages of a product, but consume it like a service.”
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
“As a"
Not owned, BUT “Always on” (utility computing)
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Products are consistent while services are not.
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
“Products”
YOU pick them.
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
“Services”
THEY perform.
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Consistency VS uncertainty
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Companies want to deliver products, not
services.
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
#1 HR
Service = you depend on the people
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
“Your most valuable assets walk in and out of the door every day.”
!
A Service Company
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
#2 Marketing
A product is easier to sell
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
“To create a service business you can sell, do whatever you can to make your
business have a product and a formula that predictably delivers results.”
!
David Ogilvy
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
#3 Profitability
Services don’t scale Less service = Higher gross margin
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
“Our API product doesn’t have this feature. But we will sell service and
customize a plugin for this ONE client." !
A CEO who doesn’t get SaaS
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
#4 Efficient Sales
Here
NOT here
The buyer can play with the product
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
#5 Production
Scalability is… possible
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
MUST be products
Bottom line:
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Again
(I don’t own stocks)
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
1- Name it2- Package it3- Write instructions4- Words of caution5- Barcode it6- Copywrite it
Follow the recipe:
Let’s try with an API?
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
1- Name it2- Package it3- Write instructions4- Words of caution5- Barcode it6- Copywrite it
‣Oauth.io‣APIs
‣API Doc‣Terms of Use
‣SaaS‣Licensed
How it works
Thanks P&G!
Headline should look like this
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
The API Product Manager makes the magic happen
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Founded in 2013 About 5000 apps
!Twitter @oauth_io
About OAuth.io
@OAuth_io
@Philocrate@OAuth_io
Questions?
elie.li oauth.io
speakerdeck.com/elie
@OAuth_io