More than the sum of its parts
The three magic letters are API, which stands for Application Programming Interface. APIs make it easy for data and functions to be made available to other users. These users can then combine different data sources to generate services or other data that is more than the sum of its parts.
The concept of an internet-based API became popular in the dotcom era 20 years ago. APIs were also the focus when Jeff Bezos transformed his online department store Amazon into a technology company in 2002. Not only did Bezos demand of his developers that in future all Amazon software must communicate via API (otherwise they would be "fired"), but he also insisted that these APIs be accessible both internally and externally ("without exception"). This – among other things – was how Bezos paved the way for Amazon to become three times larger than its competitors as a cloud service provider.
APIs are not the problem
Many people are exceedingly critical of APIs. Just a short time ago, they were at the heart of the incident involving Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. Here Facebook gave access to user data via an API to some 60 partners. These partners were able to read personal information about Facebook users who had given their consent, and what’s more, they could read the data of the friends of the users, and of the friends of the friends. In my view, the crux of the matter is not that Facebook provides data via an API, but rather to whom Facebook offers which data. In general we need to keep a careful eye on APIs.
Not just for large companies
Swiss authorities, cantons and cities are currently in a frenzy of digitisation, considering which innovations would make their citizens happy and launching new tasks forces and strategies (see the
Smart City strategy
of the City of Zurich, in German).
