Building a business case for APIs

Building a compelling business case for APIs involves demonstrating their potential to unlock new revenue streams and create value within an organization by addressing customer needs and supporting business goals. This process includes extensive market research to identify the problems that an API could solve, understanding the target audience, and validating assumptions through a series of iterative tests, including opportunities discovery, solution discovery, and developing a minimum viable product (MVP) or minimum lovable product (MLP). A successful API proposal aligns with organizational priorities, presents a clear scope, accounts for costs, and includes a risk analysis to secure executive buy-in and funding. The business case should be factual and comprehensive, avoiding technical jargon, while clearly outlining the anticipated business benefits and implementation timeline to facilitate informed decision-making.