API (Application Programming Interface) is a technology that allows programs to communicate with each other. As an analogy, one can use a waiter in a restaurant, a door (allows entering a house or going outside), or a bank teller who gives clients money. What matters here is that clients themselves don't need to be a waiter or teller to obtain the necessary resources.
APIs appeared to "marry" different computer systems and programming languages together. Thanks to the technology, it is not required that all Internet-connected devices — whether a computer or smartphone — use the same programming language, let alone the same hardware. So, API allows combining Python on a server and JavaScript in a mobile application. Moreover, developers can make changes within their own systems independently of each other: your apartment door will open and guests will be able to visit even if you rearrange the furniture, replace the furniture, or renovate.
It is also worth emphasizing that this method of programs communicating with each other is much safer than a direct connection. Imagine you don't give your colleague your computer password, but instead send the necessary file through a messenger. Similarly, API protects your systems by providing clients access only to certain actions and data, without the need for direct interaction.
How Often Will API Knowledge Be Needed?
API can no longer be called a purely technical term. The concept of API since 2023 became widely known to Kazakhstanis thanks to the National Bank's project on implementing Open API — the platform allows clients, among other things, to use the services of multiple banks in one application and make QR payments regardless of which bank the seller uses.
A business analyst needs to know about APIs much more than an ordinary user, but much less than a developer. Almost all applications currently use this technology: CRM systems, online stores, and banking apps use API for data transfer, process automation, and connecting third-party services.
The specialist will either need to know how to request documentation from API creators (and for that, they need to know what, how, and from whom to request and to whom to transfer it), to connect the application being developed (User), or to participate in creating an API so that other companies can connect to it (Provider).
Areas of application:
- IT projects: If your work involves software development, API will be your daily tool.
- Data and analytics: When working with BI systems (Power BI, Tableau), API helps obtain data from different sources. SQL is a separate language that also serves this purpose.
- Marketing: APIs allow collecting data from advertising platforms, social networks, and CRM.
- Finance and logistics: Integrations with payment systems, process automation — APIs are used regularly.
How API Is Used in a Business Analyst's Work
As mentioned above, knowledge of the technology will be needed at the requirements gathering stage, because the business analyst will need to know how the product will interact with other programs. When creating an MVP, developers use ready-made solutions, so it is necessary to check whether the required integration can be implemented through API.
Business analyst Anuar Adilzhan emphasizes that it all depends on the specialist's specific work and the individual organization:
"Mainly, APIs are reviewed by systems analysts. I myself rarely work with this technology, preferring to develop soft skills and establish communication. If asked, I pass the task on."
Business analyst Nnenno Idegwu believes that technical knowledge is needed primarily for effective communication with developers:
"You are not hired to do the work of developers. Your task is to convey truly important information to them in their language. In the case of APIs this is: what is needed for the software to work, what information we send, and what information we receive from another system."
According to her, a business analyst must primarily solve business problems. For example, if a company develops an online application system (for grants, ticket purchases, etc.) and it fails, a good business analyst will negotiate with developers to fix everything as a priority.
"An exceptional business analyst will see the clients' pain and that their deadlines are burning. They will send a newsletter — yes, with their own hands. In the letter, they will provide an application form and give the ability to submit data another way. Your work is first and foremost business tasks. The business must continue to operate regardless of technology."
What You Need to Know to Work with APIs
In practice, business analysts often encounter tools that facilitate API work. Among them, Swagger (OpenAPI) and Postman particularly stand out.
- Swagger (OpenAPI) helps document and test APIs, providing analysts with a complete understanding of available requests and expected responses.
- Postman is used for independent testing of API requests such as GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE, without involving developers.
Among API standards, REST API is most popular thanks to its versatility, and GraphQL allows requesting only the necessary data, optimizing queries.
Basic terms explained by Nnenno Idegwu:
| Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Monolith | Your body when you move it while walking. If you lose your house keys, you cannot use the bathroom. |
| Microservice | You move your legs while walking — microservices are the legs relative to your body. If you lose your keys, you can use the outdoor facilities, but can't lie down on your bed. |
| Endpoint | Also called an interface. The part of your system that other people can see: your postal/GET address. |
| Method | GET/POST/PUT/DELETE — commands for requesting data from an API. |
| Call | The entire process of an API sending a request and receiving a response. Like when someone calls on your behalf, finds out about their friend's affairs, and tells you. |
| Integration | When you connect to a supplier's API (plugging in a cable, reaching out to go to a restaurant together). |
"This is all a dress code. I'm not joking, it's literally like a dress code. In a restaurant you see a person in a white hat and white clothes, you'll think it's a cook. At a glance you can distinguish a client from an employee and you know that clients cannot be let into the kitchen." — Nnenno Idegwu
API is a tool that allows linking business goals and technologies. The better you understand it, the more effectively you can formulate requirements, manage projects, and find solutions. Experts emphasize that a business analyst should not try to handle the technical details independently. Work with APIs should be limited to recording and documenting requirements and communicating with developers.
