What is API Product Management?

Summary

In this insightful discussion, Bruno Pedro from Postman shares his expertise on API product management. He explains the steps involved in treating APIs as products, starting from understanding user needs to designing, developing, and deploying APIs. He emphasizes the importance of observing usage patterns, gathering feedback through various channels, and proactively engaging with users to enhance the API experience. Bruno also highlights the significance of viewing even internal APIs as potential products, with the flexibility to be exposed in the future. The conversation concludes with the idea of 'naked APIs,' where the API itself is the primary offering, beyond any UI interface.

Takeaways

• 😀 API product management follows classic product management principles but with a focus on APIs, treating them as potential products.
• 😀 Understanding the problem space is the first step in API product management, achieved through customer interviews and frameworks like jobs to be done.
• 😀 Designing an API involves creating prototypes with tools like Postman collections and mock servers, allowing for quick iteration and feedback.
• 😀 After designing the API, it is handed over to engineering for development, including technical elements like Open API definitions.
• 😀 APIs should be treated as products that are usable by multiple people, with a focus on readiness and accessibility, even for internal APIs.
• 😀 The development stage includes coding and testing the API against initial designs and definitions before deploying it.
• 😀 Once deployed, API usage is monitored in the observed stage, where insights on errors, usage patterns, and frequency are collected.
• 😀 Observing usage patterns across a large number of users helps identify opportunities to improve or introduce new features.
• 😀 Tools like GitHub, support channels, and proactive outreach to users help gather feedback during the observed stage of API management.
• 😀 Even internal APIs should be treated with a product perspective, as they may become exposed to the public in the future and need to be ready for that.
• 😀 Adopting an 'API-first' approach, where APIs are exposed even behind UIs, ensures flexibility and future opportunities for growth and integration.

Q & A

What is API product management, and how does it relate to traditional product management?

API product management follows the same principles as traditional product management, but with a focus on APIs. It starts with understanding the needs of potential users, designing solutions (e.g., APIs), prototyping, and then handing it over to engineering. After development, the API is deployed and monitored to gather insights on usage, allowing for continuous improvement.

Can any API be turned into a product?

Yes, any API can potentially be turned into a product, as long as there is enough business value behind it and it is designed to be reusable by multiple users. The key is to treat the API as something that can be exposed and used by others, not just as a custom solution.

What process should be followed to identify if an API has enough value to become a product?

You begin by understanding the problems and needs of users through methods like customer interviews or jobs-to-be-done frameworks. If the problem has sufficient business value and can impact a larger group of users, then it can be turned into a product. If not, it may not be worth pursuing further.

What are the key stages in the API product management process?

The key stages are: 1) Design – where you prototype the API, 2) Develop – where engineering builds the API, 3) Deploy – where the API is made available for use, and 4) Observe – where usage patterns are monitored to gather insights for continuous improvement.

How do you manage API product development when there are many users involved?

For APIs with many users, you gather insights from multiple sources, including public channels like GitHub for feedback, closed support channels, and direct proactive outreach to users. This helps to understand user needs and identify common usage patterns that can inform new features or improvements.

How do you observe API usage patterns effectively?

API usage patterns are monitored through a combination of tools that gather analytics and data, such as out-of-the-box analytics platforms and custom internal tools. This data is used to identify frequent operations or common issues users face, allowing for targeted improvements or feature development.

What kind of tools are used to track API usage patterns?

The team uses a combination of out-of-the-box analytics tools to gather data on API usage. This data is then enriched with internal tools to produce meaningful views, helping to track user activity and identify patterns.

What role does proactive outreach play in the observed stage of API management?

Proactive outreach involves contacting users who may be experiencing issues or challenges with the API. By observing their usage patterns, you can offer help and learn more about their needs, which can inform new features or improvements.

How does product management for an internal API differ from managing a public-facing API?

For an internal API, the management approach is still based on treating it as a potential product, with a focus on future exposure to the public. Even if an API is initially internal, it's important to design it with the possibility of future public use, ensuring that it can be easily exposed when needed.

What is the importance of treating internal APIs as potential products?

Treating internal APIs as potential products opens the door for future opportunities. By doing so, organizations can easily expose the API later if needed, saving time and resources. It also prevents the situation where a feature or API could be quickly exposed if there's a customer demand.