Session: API Usability: Think of the humans!
Friday 14.10 - 15.00
Room: Keyboard Cat
APIs are consumed by programs, but those programs are built by humans. A good API is one that both programs and humans enjoy using. That means the API not only has to be powerful and responsive, but usable, too. Using examples like Twilio, Twitter, and FourSquare, we'll discuss what makes an API usable or not. We'll talk about common usability traps and the bugs we make or prevent consuming applications. Finally, we'll discuss approaches to API development that improve usability.
Tags: Architecture Test UX
Catherine Powell
Catherine Powell is a principal at Abakas, a software consulting company. At Abakas, she provides engineering management, development, testing, and process consulting services. She has worked with a variety of software, from an enterprise storage system to mobile software to web applications. She is an author, speaker and a mentor to engineers and technical managers. Catherine focuses primarily on the realities of shipping software in small and mid-size companies.