If you review the items in this series, you will notice a key theme…all of the posts begin with an assumption. This assumption is one that is important to truly understand when engaging with the software development community.
The assumption of connectivity.
When a software company begins the process of identifying a solution to address the commerce needs of their customers, the assumption of connectivity is there. This assumption is simple:
“I require access to commerce services and will gain access to these services through tools.”
These tools are the APIs.
So if an API solves for the assumption of connectivity, what is the value of a Platform?
A Platform, to which the APIs connect, is not your front-end processing system. It is not the gateway that manages host capture connectivity inside of your firewall. Rather, a proper Platform manages, and supplements, the connectivity provided by the APIs. Said another way, a true platform acts as an intelligent workflow engine exposing value added capabilities from the cloud.
The Messages From The Edge that we share, these missives elucidating the needs and desires of Software Companies have NEVER focused on simple connectivity.
Your external API strategy may focus on providing access to your processing systems…but if this is the sole extent of the strategy you will only achieve the base level of requirement that is assumed to be available by the software development community. In contrast, a Platform strategy deploys an intelligent front-end to your systems enabling market segment targeting, the rapid addition of value-added services, availability of data services, profile management, and governance through Federated Identity.
An “API strategy” is not sufficient to partner with the software development community. What is your Platform strategy?
About the Author:
Peter Osberg is the Sr. Vice President, Business Development & Marketing for IP Commerce. With extensive senior-level experience in highly competitive, multi-sided markets, Peter is a well-established entrepreneur with a proven ability to plan, execute and administer successful sales and business development initiatives.
