{"id":275,"date":"2024-04-05T01:51:09","date_gmt":"2024-04-05T01:51:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/duff.io\/?p=275"},"modified":"2024-04-05T11:55:38","modified_gmt":"2024-04-05T11:55:38","slug":"my-process-to-programming-with-blackbaud-sky-api-and-really-any-api","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/duff.io\/?p=275","title":{"rendered":"My process to programming with Blackbaud Sky API (and really any API)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In preparing for the panel session “APIs and the Art of the Possible” for the 2024 ATLIS Conference<\/a>, I spent some time thinking about my process for developing solutions using APIs. I have recently been working on something to send gift acknowledgment letters via Google based on data in Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge and thought it might make a practical case study. So here it goes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overview<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Meet<\/strong> with key stakeholders to understand what the problem\/need is.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Identify<\/strong> the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to use as a starting point from which to iterate. This serves as a proof of concept and provides a feedback loop to develop the solution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Explore<\/strong> the API via documentation\/tools to see what it can provide for our needs. Manually run the API calls I plan to verify that they provide the needed data.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Deconstruct<\/strong> the problem into pieces and start implementing and iterating.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Meeting with Key Stakeholders<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Here are some questions I might ask the key stakeholders:<\/p>\n\n\n\n