Time to First Call: The Most Important API Metric

Enhancing API Adoption Through Optimized Developer Onboarding

Publishers of APIs within the Postman community, which numbers over 15 million, are striving to create more streamlined and cohesive developer experiences for their respective APIs.

Based on insights gathered from numerous individual conversations, a recent study was released concerning the improvement of API adoption rates through the utilization of public workspaces in Postman.

A primary benefit of employing a public workspace is the facilitation of enhanced developer onboarding, specifically by reducing the time to first call (TTFC) – a crucial metric for any public API.

Understanding the Developer's Perspective

To effectively analyze a developer’s adoption process, it’s essential to first examine the elements that influence their willingness to dedicate time and effort to learning and implementing your technology.

Several key factors play a significant role in this determination.

• Urgency: Does the developer have an immediate need for a solution to a current challenge? Alternatively, were they simply made aware of your technology and possess only a casual interest?
• Constraints: Is the developer operating under a strict deadline? Or do they have ample time and resources available for exploration and experimentation?
• Alternatives: Is the use of this solution mandated by the developer’s organization? Or are they independently evaluating multiple providers and alternative approaches to address their needs?

These considerations directly impact a developer’s investment in understanding and integrating with an API.

Optimizing for these factors is paramount to successful API adoption.

The Developer Experience with APIs

Considering this background, the subsequent phases outline the typical developer experience when first interacting with a new API.

Initial Exploration: Browsing

Developers initially explore your website and documentation to ascertain the capabilities of your API. While some prefer a hands-on approach, initial impressions are formed during this stage, often in comparison to competing products. Poorly organized or error-filled documentation can negatively impact perception of the underlying technology.

Account Creation: Signup

Registering for an account represents a developer’s initial commitment to utilizing the API. This process frequently precedes the generation of an API key, which is essential for authentication.

Validation: The First API Call

Successfully executing the first API call provides immediate value and allows developers to understand the API’s practical application. Companies like Stripe and Algolia integrate interactive guides directly into their documentation to facilitate this initial call. Furthermore, Stripe and Twitter leverage Postman public workspaces for interactive onboarding, capitalizing on developers’ existing familiarity with the platform.

This approach streamlines the learning process and accelerates implementation.

Integration: Implementation

After grasping the API’s functionality, developers integrate it into their applications, tailoring it to their specific requirements. Avoid creating a false sense of simplicity by concealing complexities, as this can merely postpone challenges to the implementation phase. Tools such as SDKs, libraries, and code generation can significantly simplify this integration process.

Sustained Engagement: Usage

Following implementation in a production environment, developers evaluate the API’s long-term viability. They assess factors like latency, responsiveness, flexibility, and scalability to determine the extent of future adoption. Increased traffic and expanded use cases are indicators of successful integration.

Throughout each stage of this process, developers gain a deeper understanding of your API – its features, implementation details, and the rationale for choosing it over alternatives. The initial API call serves as a crucial demonstration of the what, how, and why of your offering.

The Significance of Time to First Call in API Metrics

While numerous metrics are used to evaluate APIs, Time to First Call (TTFC) often stands out as particularly crucial. Its importance stems from its impact on developer adoption, exceeding that of metrics focused on later-stage usage or performance characteristics.

For API providers, the path to successful adoption varies. However, a common thread exists: developers are more likely to embrace an API after experiencing it firsthand. Optimizing TTFC effectively expands the potential market and cultivates a more informed user base for subsequent stages of developer engagement.

Assessing Time to First Call

Evaluating TTFC requires a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Usability testing and direct user feedback provide subjective insights into the initial experience. Objectively, TTFC can be determined through web analytics, measuring the interval between initial discovery – such as a website visit or account creation – and the developer’s inaugural API request.

Breaking down the measurement into smaller segments enhances attribution accuracy. For instance, the duration from initial browsing to registration can be linked to the quality of website content and documentation. Conversely, the time taken to move from registration to the first API call reflects the efficacy of onboarding guides and overall product usability.

Employing overly broad measurements complicates accurate attribution of success. A granular approach allows for precise identification of areas needing improvement.

The Impact of Prioritizing TTFC

Neglecting to prioritize TTFC as a key API metric restricts the potential growth of your developer community throughout the entire adoption process. Even within a niche developer market, improvements to TTFC translate to a larger addressable audience.

Investing in reducing TTFC directly correlates with increased developer engagement and a broader reach within the target market.

Further insights into leveraging this vital metric can be found by examining how companies like Vonage and Symbl utilize Postman public workspaces to accelerate their time to first call.