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[Under Construction]

Summary

Across the Internet and throughout each sector of business, the central role of APIs in the digital revolution cannot be overstated. This document details a path for [AGENCY]’s adoption and integration of APIs.

Background

[Add in policy directives driving APIs]

Goals

Short

  • Create a foundation on which to build, technologically and with people
  • Begin acculturating internally
  • Prompt initial external interest
    • Begin developing an external developer community
  • Get Started

Long

  • Private sector efficiencies
  • Faster prototyping
  • Greater ease of prototyping
  • Lower cost of development

Benefits

Providing information and services through Web APIs supports interoperability and openness. Well-designed APIs make data freely available for use within agencies, between agencies, in the private sector, or by citizens.

APIs:

  • Increase the reach of your services by allowing other agencies, partners, and the private sector to integrate—and amplify—your agency’s data and content.
  • Save time through automation. You can update data or content once, and your API can refresh in multiple locations automatically on a website, mobile platforms, and on social media venues.
  • Save costs by allowing third-party innovators to use information and services to create new, useful products that are beyond the scope—or budget—of your agency.
  • Speed product development through improved prototyping and ease of access for internal teams and sister agencies by allowing granular and open access to content.
  • Build markets by improving access to government resources like health, economic, energy, education, environmental resources for entrepreneurs to build upon.

Stage 1 (Next 4-6 months)

  • Set up an initial /developer page
    • What a MVP looks like
    • What you want it to become.
    • Standard for API documentation
  • Follow the ‘How to Get Started with APIs program’
  • Attend DC API Meetup, ask for help
  • Join the listserve and say hello
  • Encourage partners you’ll be working (legal, security, system owners) with to join
  • Chose initial candidates for APIs
  • First APIs
    • API UX
    • API.Data.gov
  • Blog Regularly, be sure to respond to comments
  • Social media campaign
  • Press Release
  • Brief Stakeholders, Go on an internal road show
  • Ensure inclusion in data management efforts
  • Take advantage of trainings and supports.
  • Share updates on listserve.

Stage 2 (Next 12-18 months)

  • RFI
  • Plot out an API design for a significant portion
    • Maintain in the Open
    • Sync with data management efforts
  • Adopt API Standards for New APIs
  • Bring legacy APIs into sync with Standards
  • Plan for future deprecation
  • Engage Developers
    • Webinars
    • Regular API UX
  • Host Events
  • Assemble a standing working group, make someone point.
  • Have working group continue to try and normalize their services and documentation.
    • Update legacy documentation ito norm
  • Connect with in-process contracts to ensure APIs in them
  • Assemble template contract language for use in upcoming contracts and coordinate with stakeholders to ensure that they are aware and will incorporate
  • Guest blogging by external parties using APIs
  • Mod existing contracts to bring into relevance
  • Content API
  • Write APIs - First pass
  • Review the Agency Maturity Model and take into account for [AGENCY]. Focus on each of the areas and discuss direction with stakeholders.
  • formalize security
  • formalize legal
  • Open Source API engine
  • Grow out /developer page
  • Scale out analytics access for others
  • Set up internal /developer page
  • Plot out and internal API strategy.
  • Round 2 of Internal Road Show
    • Brown bag lunch with external stakeholders
  • Measure and Improve
  • Ensure inclusion in 3rd party API catalogs
  • Take advantage of trainings and supports.
  • Share updates on listserve.

Stage 3 (Next 3-6 years)

  • Scale out - All Systems
    • Write APIs, deep pass
  • Measure
  • Interate
  • Dogfood
  • Pursue an 'Amazon-style' policy
  • /Developer - Gold Standard
    • API Status
  • Engage Developers
    • Road Show to External Stakeholders
  • Host events
  • Set up internal /developer page
  • Take advantage of trainings and supports.
  • Share updates on listserve.

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