Err what's an API? Lessons on driving API adoption in the "not for profit" sector

Err what's an API?

Lessons on driving API adoption in the "not for profit" sector

10 years ago at eBay10 years ago at eBay…

I had no idea what an API was!

5 years ago at vzaar…

Without knowing it I designed a product that would be API powered

3 years ago at JustGiving

The not for profit sector showed very little interest in API adoption

Today

I’m here as head of JustGiving’s Consumer APIs!

Warning: There is nothing

technical about APIs that I can

teach you!

5 personal lessons on growing a community in an industry resistant to APIs

So what is…

Since 2011, developer account growth has been consistent

Hits are growing nicely

And we’ve slowly built up a community of users

• 1,500 developer accounts (~10% active)

• 30-50 charities using our APIs

• 20-25% of annual revenues driven via API activity

But first lets go back in time

The landscape was barren

The landscape was barren

12 months ago did your charity understand what APIs were?

Source: JustGiving API survey Feb 2014

50% had limited or no

understanding of APIs

50% had limited or no

understanding of APIs

The APIs landscape in the not-for-profit sector

• Charities traditionally have very limited budget

• Rarely have in-house developer resource

• Short term planning over long term

• Reliance on voluntary employees

• Understanding of APIs was/is low

Lesson 1: Launch & Build upon your own APIs

Lesson 1: Launch and build upon your own APIs

• Helps validate your methods

• Lifts a lid on what sucks (or what’s missing)

• Forces you to at least plan how to manage and document them

• Gives you some credibility from day 1

Lesson 2: Pick a significant launch partner

• Our # 1 client• Raised > £40m on JustGiving in 2013 alone• FTSE 100 style organisation - big enough to have an innovation team• In 2010 expressed a desire to “stay ahead of comp” and to “leverage tech”• All their fundraising campaigns today are API driven through JustGiving

• Took 3 years to get to this stage• Lots of blood, sweat and tears• Test & learn, test & learn…

Lesson 2: Pick a significant launch partner

• This trust in our system was a industry wide game changer• They singularly validate our API stack• Both parties learnt loads!

• Missing methods• Error handling• Documentation• Educating & Empowering multiple stakeholders

The floodgates opened (kind of!)

But know one knew what they wanted…

How do I get that integration?

How do I get that integration?

Cool…What’s an API?Cool…What’s an API?

It’s API driven…It’s API driven…

Lesson 3: So be prepared to put in the hard yards

Lesson 3: Putting in the hard yards• Get out and meet your future clients (e.g. charities, agencies)

• Show them real life, tangible examples

• Find ways to get round lots of red tape / bureaucracy• Test things quickly (prove/disprove, move on)• Co-fund projects

• Be prepared to coach, guide, review and tweak• Demos, flow diagrams etc

• Train up those that can broadcast the API message• Account Managers, Bus Dev, PR etc

• Prepare for a slow life cycle of development• And meantime plan for what they will want next

Lesson 4: Invest in making life easy for others

Lesson 4: Invest in making life easy for others

• Get out of their way (whilst supporting them!)

• Pick an API service provider

• Live or die by your documentation

• Provide a reliable sandbox

• Build and support a help group. Zero in on your biggest advocates

• Empower other staff to answer questions

• Plan for CRM & Developer outreach (emails, customer care, doc updates etc)

Lesson 5: Encourage & Celebrate Innovation

5. Encourage & Celebrate Innovation

• Show what people are building • External communities (PR, blogs, social)• Internal stakeholders (excite your staff)• Partners (“oh I want that!”)

• Attend/Sponsor hacks• Find the relevant hack(s) for your business goals

• Evangelize your APIs/Platform• Invest in Developer Outreach• Hook up with influencer/guru in your industry

• Inspire others• E.G. JustGiving award for technology• White paper / research / infographics etc

Good news! 84% of charities say API adoption will grow in next 12 months!

Source: JustGiving API survey Feb 2014

1.Build and launch something yourself to get ahead

2.Pick a partner and go through the growing pains together

3.Be prepared to put in the hard yards

4.Invest in the making life easy for others

5.Encourage and celebrate innovation

Thank youFollow @jghackers and justgiving.com/developer

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