The responsibilities of an API product manager

API product managers have an extensive role. They are integral to the API product life cycle as they are responsible for everything from defining API strategy to monetizing the API. Let’s learn what are the key responsibilities of an API product manager.

Key responsibilities of API product manager

Here are some of the key responsibilities of an API product manager:

• API strategy: The API product manager’s first responsibility is to develop a comprehensive approach to determine how APIs will be used to achieve specific business objectives. The manager defines an API strategy considering the target audience, their needs, organization’s capabilities and ambitions. The final API strategy should align with technical and business goals.

• API development: The product manager must manage the API development process. This includes supervising the development team and working closely with the design and engineering team. The product manager collaborates with clients to ensure smooth API development and gathers requirements. After this, they collaborate with each stakeholder to ensure the API being developed is according to the client’s requirements.

• API documentation and developer portals: The product manager’s responsibilities are not limited to managing developers only. A product manager is also responsible for helping developers create API by providing detailed documentation and developer portals. Therefore, a product manager must gather requirements, create documentation for APIs, and provide sample codes, tutorials, and necessary resources required to develop APIs.

• API use cases: API product managers play a key role in pinpointing and examining potential API use cases. They need to identify how customers will use the API to meet their requirements.

• API monetization: API monetization is a way for the organization to generate revenue from APIs. API product managers are responsible for managing API monetization. Managing API monetization means creating a plan of how the business can earn profit through its developed APIs. The product managers should come up with a suitable strategy, e.g., pricing models, usage-based pricing, and selling the API, to generate revenue for the business.

• API performance: After the launch of the API, the API product managers are responsible for continuously monitoring API performance. They are responsible for tracking key metrics like response time and error rates. These key metrics later become the basis for future API development.