TDWI 2017, Chicago, IL: Architecting Modern Big Data API Ecosystems

In my presentation at TDWI 2017, I focused on architecting a modern big data enterprise by leveraging the strengths of API ecosystems and open-source solutions. I emphasized the importance of viewing a company as part of a broader business ecosystem that crosses various industries, drawing on examples from industry leaders like Apple, Amazon, and Salesforce. By integrating APIs into our systems, we can create a more interconnected and resilient enterprise, allowing us to harness big data effectively and drive innovation through a design-driven culture and open collaboration.

We delved into the trends shaping the Human Capital Management (HCM) industry, such as the gig economy, consumerization, and the rise of big data. I discussed how ADP is addressing these trends by building a robust API ecosystem that provides API access to all aspects of HCM and payroll through our ADP Marketplace. This platform supports a wide range of partners and developers, facilitating the creation of new business applications and services. By offering open-source libraries and fostering a developer community, we are enabling “citizen developers” to contribute to and benefit from our ecosystem.

I also covered the technical aspects of building and maintaining an API ecosystem, including tenancy vs. virtualization, security considerations, and the importance of redundancy and replication. By analyzing API usage and business events, we can predict future trends and proactively notify users, enhancing the overall user experience. I concluded by encouraging attendees to leverage existing ecosystems and explore innovative ways to deliver their products and services, highlighting the potential to become leaders in their respective industries through strategic use of APIs and big data analytics.