Welcome to this edition of the API product management newsletter, dedicated to helping product managers drive more business value from their APIs and API products.
This week: the evolving role of the API product manager, building demos for business stakeholders, and why you should think about embracing a platform mindset in your API strategy.
We only include:
- The top 3 most useful resources we’ve come across in the last two weeks.
Any more than that, and we find our browser tabs become unmanageable - What we find personally useful – and digestible – as product and product marketing managers
- Educational content (whether an article, whitepaper or event). No product pitches – that includes yours truly.
💡The good stuff: This week’s API product management links:
Lessons from the evolution of API product management over the last 10 years
This short talk by Claire Barrett takes a look at the evolving role of the API product manager and API product management, and why the role matters commercially for today’s organisations. There’s plenty of stats that will back up any business case for an API product manager, as well as a look at how the role might continue to evolve over the coming years. I particularly liked the idea of the four PM archetypes and where API product management may fit into this.
Thoughtworks Technology Radar – Volume 28: Demo Front-Ends for API-only products
The Thoughtworks Technology Radar is a great overview of key trends in the tech space that’s worth subscribing to. This latest edition includes an overview of the importance of investing in a custom graphical UI (built alongside your API product) to increase buy-in with business stakeholders specifically. After all, if you want your API product to succeed then it’s not just developers who need to see the value it brings.
The Platform Mindset in API Product Management
Rohan Lulla argues that the best API strategies (and API product managers who own them) prioritise a platform over product mindset. This article takes you through his argument, with some best practices to get you started and some useful analogies (hello IKEA Billy Bookcase) that you can use in your own org.
♟️ Looking to make a move? Current API product management vacancies:
API and Portal Product Manager – Orum.io (Remote)
Technical Product Manager – api.video (Remote)
That’s it for this time. If you found this useful, please consider sharing with someone else who may benefit from it!
📆 Bonus link! Upcoming event: API Analytics for Product Managers
Sign up for this free API product management event with Deepa Goyal, Product Strategy Lead at Postman, featuring insights from her new book.
18 May, 11am PT: Measuring Impact: API Analytics for Product Managers (online)
💥 Got an article, video or event that belongs on this list? Respond to this email telling us why you think it’s useful to product managers learning about APIs and the API lifecycle. If you’d like a shout-out, please include your Twitter, Github handle or LinkedIn URL and the name you’d like including.
💌 And finally… This newsletter is created by Tyk – API management that accelerates your product development. By signing up to this newsletter you’ll be consenting to receiving the next one (and the one after that), but we will never put you on another list without your *explicit* consent. Read the previous edition here.
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