API-m-FAMM: A Focus Area Maturity Model for API Management

Abstract

Organizations are increasingly connecting using Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to share data, services, functionality, and even complete business processes. However, the creation and management of APIs, is non-trivial. Aspects such as traffic management, community engagement, documentation, and version management are often rushed afterthoughts. In this research, we present and evaluate a Focus Area Maturity Model for API Management (API-m-FAMM), which addresses the domains of Lifecycle Management, Security, Performance, Observability, Community, and Commercial. The API-m-FAMM is a model that organizations may use to assess and evaluate their maturity in API management and to set out a course for systematic improvement and evolution. The model is grounded in literature and practice, and was developed and evaluated through a Systematic Literature Review, 11 expert interviews, and 6 case studies. These evaluations are reported on, and show that the API-m-FAMM is an efficient tool for aiding organizations in gaining a better understanding of their current implementation of API management practices, and provides them with guidance towards higher levels of maturity. Additionally, this study's unique case study design shows that FAMMs can be successfully deployed in practice with minimal involvement of researchers. The Focus Area Maturity Model for API Management is maintained on www.maturitymodels.org, allowing practitioners to benefit from its useful insights.