Launching API Programs in Non API-First Companies

In a Moesif podcast episode, Jeannie Hawrysz, the Lead API Architect at SAS and former IBM veteran, shares insights on launching API programs in companies not initially centered around APIs. She discusses her journey from IBM to SAS, highlighting the challenges and strategies involved in establishing a robust API program. At SAS, she emphasizes the importance of a Center of Excellence and aligning API development with business needs. Jeannie notes the necessity of design-first methodology, developer advocacy, and creating a supportive infrastructure for API standards and documentation. She stresses the significance of APIs as business foundations and the need for internal APIs to be designed with potential externalization in mind. Throughout the discussion, she underscores the value of cross-departmental collaboration, the role of product management in API lifecycle accountability, and the financial potential of APIs when properly implemented and supported by leadership.