Application Program Interfaces (APIs) arguably sit at the heart of innovating in this digital era. They allow the integration of cloud services, enable containerised applications (e.g. via Docker) to operate in new ways within Cloud environments, allow developers of all levels to innovate new services quickly and at low cost, and enable new business models such as product platforms and service ecosystems. For example, the explosion of AI technologies is, to a significant degree, enabled by APIs connecting cloud-based Machine Learning ‘Lego’ bricks to create ever new services at the point of need. In this way APIs are underpinning ‘combinatorial innovation’ (Yoo, Boland et al. 2012) of the modern cloud-based world.

Our third DIIESL seminar will bring together insights from academics working on Interfaces, APIs, modularity, and innovation. We will hear from Prof Nigel P Melville, University of Michigan, who will be presenting "Generating Business Value from Machine Interfaces: Models of Efficiency, Focus, & Transformation " based on work co-authored with Rajiv Kohli. Dr Roser Pujadas, LSE, will present a paper, “The role of interfaces in fostering digital ecosystems: A study of the online travel service ecosystem”, by Pujadas, R., Valderrama, E., Venters, W. (under review). Prof Hans Berends, KIN, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, will present "Innovation ecosystems and systems of use: the role of intermediary platforms and users in creating complementary value".

There will be an introduction from Professor David Pym, UCL, Director of the IRIS (Interface Reasoning for Interacting Systems) project which sponsors the DIIESL Seminar Series.

The seminar will be Chaired by Dr Will Venters, LSE,

For abstracts and further information about the speakers, please visit the DIIESL website https://www.diiesl.org/