YALE MILLER- TYPE
- UX/UI Design
- TEAM CREDIT
- Joshua Smith
- DATE
- Fall 2024
Designing an API Creator for Developers with 84.51°
OVERVIEW
As a data analytics company, 84.51° profits off the development of APIs. However there's a problem. API developers at the company each have their own process to build an API, which results in a lack of standards, which in turn results in a subpar product. Polaris is an API creator tool designed to make it easier for developers and non-developers alike to build APIs. The Polaris API Designer is just one part of the tool that lets developers mock up and share API designs before they have to write a single line of code.
Going from “I'm in hell” to “That would be dope as hell.”
*Real quotes from user research
So what even is an API…?
An API is an Application Programming Interface. Does that clear things up? Probably not — it took me a while to get a handle on what APIs are and how they drive revenue.
To help, I developed the soda fountain metaphor. 84.51° employees are masters of working with data, just as Coca-Cola employees are masters of making soda. The customer doesn't care what's going on behind the scenes. They just want their nice filtered Kroger shopping data, or cup of Diet Coke, when they ask for it.
That's where the API comes in. It's a contract of code between us and the customer. You pay and put your cup under Minute Maid and you'll get lemonade. You send us this message and you'll get this array of data.
THE PROBLEM
At 84.51°, API development is…
Fractured
Each developer has their own process and standard of API development, which makes collaboration difficult.
Slow
The time to build APIs for customers is much slower than the competition, which is leaving revenue on the table.
Repetitive
Each new API requires timely boilerplate steps, such as creating a GitHub repo, that could be easily automated.
INITIAL RESEARCH QUESTION
What steps do 84.51° developers take to build an API?
The Polaris API Designer: a tool for developers and non-developers alike to design, mock, and share APIs.
Usability Testing
RESEARCH QUESTION
Are users of the Polaris API Designer able to discover and use all the features the platform provides?
RESEARCH METHODS
Participants were told that after exploring the prototype, they would be asked to explain how the Polaris API Designer helps a user build better APIs faster. They had as much time as they liked to explore while the researcher watched and answered questions. Afterwards they were asked, “Explain to me what the Polaris API Designer is capable of,” and their responses were graded against a rubric.
Value Testing
RESEARCH QUESTION
Are the features of the Polaris API Designer the features our developers need to create better APIs faster?
RESEARCH METHODS
After usability testing, participants were asked if they would join the beta program for early access, in exchange for further feedback opportunities. Finally, they were asked for the names of three people the researcher could send additional invites to.
Testing Highlights
100%
of 1-on-1 participants were able to identify and understand the scorecard, reusable library, and publishing features.
100%
of 1-on-1 participants were not just interested but excited about joining a beta program.
88%± 10.69%
of asynchronous participants in technical roles were open to joining a beta program.