The shift away from desktop-dominance forces agencies to adapt, not just in terms of doing more to accommodate mobile users, but opening up their data by creating APIs, argues GSA’s AmmieFarrajFeijoo in a post on DigitalGov.gov.
Part of this idea involves keeping content and its presentation separate. Content should live in the database independent of its presentational markup or otherwise.
In fact, content APIs can be easy to create or implement with open source systems such as Drupal or WordPress, and even enterprise systems including Sharepoint or Oracle, notes FarrajFeijoo. WordPress for example is incorporating a JSON API service within its default release, so agencies using it for blogging purposes or otherwise are able to meet OMB open-data standards out of the box.
18F’s /Developer Program is also able to lend a hand and boost agency efforts, according to the post. Using social media is also a way to get content to users where they are, rather than trying to get them to come to you. Again, social media APIs can help here. For example, the Flickr, Instragram, Twitter and Youtube APIs can be used.
A good habit to get into: using your own APIs to publish your own content online. This will force agencies to refine their APIswhile establishing a reusable codebase. “Let’s free our content, repurpose it, and be our own customers,” suggests GSA’s AmmieFarrajFeijoo.
