API Intersection

Matt Reinbold believes that getting everyone talking to each other — and in the same technical language — is an essential but underrated aspect of API design.

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Show Notes

APIs are fundamentally supposed to smooth out paths of communication. But you can’t build that road if you don’t understand what’s happening at the destination. For API design architect Matt Reinbold, empathy for the end-user is a vital and often missing component of API design.

A quick look at Matt’s career with Fortune 500 companies and his own software consultancy shows that he has successfully balanced his interests in the human and technical aspects of software. 

Experience, occasionally learned the hard way, has taught Matt that factoring in the end-user early saves future headaches for you and them. 

It follows that Matt takes an anti-autocracy stance on API governance. When you’re on top, it’s easy enough to make the rules without input from others. But consulting the grassroots is more effective for company morale and productivity. Again, it all comes back to empathy.

On this episode of API Intersection, Matt explains why organizing governance is never over, how to get everyone speaking the same technical language, and how to persuade leadership to lean into innovation.

For full show notes and more info go to https://stoplight.io/podcast/

Do you have a question you'd like answered, or a topic you want to see in a future episode? Let us know here:
https://stoplight.io/question/

What is API Intersection?

Building a successful API requires more than just coding.

It starts with collaborative design, focuses on creating a great developer experience, and ends with getting your company on board, maintaining consistency, and maximizing your API’s profitability.

In the API Intersection, you’ll learn from experienced API practitioners who transformed their organizations, and get tangible advice to build quality APIs with collaborative API-first design.

Jason Harmon brings over a decade of industry-recognized REST API experience to discuss topics around API design, governance, identity/auth versioning, and more.

They’ll answer listener questions, and discuss best practices on API design (definition, modeling, grammar), Governance (multi-team design, reviewing new API’s), Platform Transformation (culture, internal education, versioning) and more.

They’ll also chat with experienced API practitioners from a wide array of industries to draw out practical takeaways and insights you can use.

Have a question for the podcast? DM us or tag us on Twitter at @stoplightio.