Think like a Builder, to be a successful API Integrator
Are you passionate about software integration? Are you looking to accompany clients on their digital transformation journey? Are you interested in being truly innovative in the integration space? I know, too many questions, but if you answered yes to all of them;
Maybe its time you became an API Integrator!
And if you want to do something you love, you might as well do it right. Or as Brandon Sanderson in Rhythm of War put it — “Some people charged toward the goal, running for all they had. Others stumbled. But it wasn’t the speed that mattered. It was the direction they were going.”
But how? Irrespective of the projects a software professional has contributed to, success depends on a combination of factors. Setting rules, designing security, planning adoption, continuous development and testing all come with the territory. Regardless of the size of a project, self-awareness, vision and targeted action will be required to be successful. Let’s explore some of the qualities you may need for success:
- Learning Mindset: Anyone I know who succeeds in the software industry is constantly learning. In an area where innovation continues, in order to remain competitive, it is very important to remain current on trends and new technologies. Below are 5 strategies to help you stay on top of your game:
a. Evaluate your abilities: It is important to be accustomed to evaluating skills and abilities to identify knowledge gaps. Participating in Hackathons, taking programming challenges are ways in which you can expand and improve you skills.
b. Plan self development: Developing regular reading habits are key to successful learning. Making learning practical is key here, planning learning hours, setting up alerts to notify you of trends, using sites such as Feedly to report important insights for you, help you learn easily.
c. Network: Connecting with others in your industry is a great way to stay up-to date, know trends and create a support system for your growth. There are many development communities out there that are fun, inclusive and empowering and can help you succeed in your integration journey. Some examples are HackerNews, freeCodeCamp, Women Who Code, MuleSoft Community.
2. Customized Approach: Integration, just like physical construction, is full of surprises. It is impossible to foresee all problems that can occur during the integration phase. Also, not all integration projects are of the same nature. It is very important for an integration professional to be flexible and demonstrate a sense of ownership. How can you develop a customized approach to integrations?
a. Developing a roadmap : Developing an effective roadmap will help create a master plan for success. Your roadmap is alike a builders blueprint, it will help course correct when things get interesting. It’s important to have an operational perspective when designing integrations, good roadmaps help bring that perspective.
b. Discovery: You need to ask the right questions! If “I, Robot” taught us anything, it’s that questions can be wrong. Well, that and robots need ethics, but that is a topic for another time. The discovery session can be an effective way to assess the state of the organization in terms of maturity and what it will take to achieve a sustainable level.
3. Evangelism (related to software):When you are passionately interested in something, evangelizing comes naturally. Previously, tech evangelists used to build targeted relationships with the development community. Today, developers themselves are evangelists. Building integrations are as much about building relationships and communicating with clients as it is about designing software. The ultimate goal of any integration project is broad uptake. Adoption can only take place when the new solution is in line with the corporate culture. In order for a project like this to be successful, it is very important that an integration professional has a direct communication line between the customer and the product teams. Evangelists are often seen as transparent and delivering authentic work and as a result, they are in a unique position to foster adoption.
To be a successful evangelist you must be a constant learner.
write blogs, so you can share your thoughts and solicit feedback from other professionals, attend and present at conferences to network and promote your products and solutions, provide testimonials to benefit other adopters.
Oratorical art, communication and creativity are key competencies for being a successful evangelist.
Last Thoughts
Between 2018 and 2028, integrations job market is expected to grow 4% and produce 12,800 job opportunities across the U.S. Integration profession is interesting, you get to be where the action is and contribute in a meaningful way. Anyone who is passionate about improving life and is ready to invest in personal development and fair learning has a chance to succeed in this field.
