Source Data for the Focus Area Maturity Model for API Management

Abstract

We define API Management as an activity that enables organizations to design, publish and deploy their APIs for (external) developers to consume. API Management capabilities such as controlling API lifecycles, access and authentication to APIs, monitoring, throttling and analyzing API usage, as well as providing security and documentation. These capabilities are often implemented through an integrated platform. This data set describes the API Management Focus Area Maturity Model (API-m-FAMM). In a structured manner, this model aims to support organizations that expose their API(s) to third-party developers in their API management activities. Through a thorough Systematic Literature Review (SLR) [66], 114 practices and 39 capabilities were collected. Subsequently, these practices and capabilities were categorized into 6 focus areas. Next, the practices and capabilities were analyzed and verified through inter-rater agreement and four validation sessions with all involved researchers. Then, the collection of practices and capabilities was verified by using information gathered from supplemental literature, online blog posts, websites, commercial API management platform documentation and third-party tooling. As a result, the initial body of practices and capabilities was narrowed down to 87 practices and 23 capabilities. These practices are described by a practice code, name, description, conditions for implementation, the role responsible for the practice, and the associated literature in which the practice was originally identified. Capabilities and focus areas are described by a code, description and, optionally, the associated literature in which it was originally identified. Using the API-m-FAMM, organizations may evaluate, improve upon and assess the degree of maturity their business processes regarding the topic of API management have.

API-m-FAMM: A focus area maturity model for API Management

“…By decoupling API management processes and topics from commercial platforms, the API-m-FAMM offers the academic community a de-commercialized overview of the topic that was developed by using insights from both literature as well as the industry. Secondly, this work provides a detailed description of the construction of a focus area maturity model through the published source data [33], that researchers can use as an example in future works. Thirdly, this work has shown that [21]'s methodology for maturity model development may be incorporated with DSR, utilizing [32]'s card sorting technique to perform maturity level assignments, conducting multiple evaluation cycles, and utilization of criteria used for DSR artifact evaluation introduced by Prat et al [40].…”

“…We use these versions to reference to a certain point in the construction of the model. A full description of the changes made during the different phases is available through the source data [33]. The source data also details the dependencies between the different practices.…”

“…5. Detailed descriptions, preconditions, and reference literature can be found in the source data [33]. The FAMM consists of six focus areas, 20 capabilities, and 80 practices.…”

“…Publications on the development of FAMMs such as that of Jansen [31] and Spruit and Röling [38] offer a high-level overview of this process, which adhere to the FAMM meta-model presented by van Steenbergen et al [11] and De Bruin et al [21]'s methodology for developing maturity models. The accompanying source data of this article discusses the intermediate versions of the API-m-FAMM and the changes between them in detail [33]. The steps that this methodology consists of were also followed in this work: conducting a SLR, population, evaluation through expert interviews, and deployment as part of case studies.…”