Overview

Software AG launched the webMethods API Control Plane in December 2023 under API Management Solutions. As a product design lead I led the end-to-end product design strategy for the project till August 2022.

This solution completed the API management portfolio. It gave API product managers and API platform owners to help them to understand and monitor their API landscape distributed across many runtimes in many different locations.

In 2023 webMethods was acquired by IBM

CONTEXT

The need of API control plane was drive by the API management solutions customers. Most of the customers have multiple API gateways runs in various environments such as on-premise, clouds(public/private) or hybrid . Some are also distributed geo graphically. There was no solution in existing APIM were customers can view entire API landscape in one screen and take speedy action when there is a problem accred.

Specially API product managers and platform owners need centralized solution to understand, manage, and monitor their distributed API landscapes. The complexity of managing these distributed and heterogeneous systems grew.

Approach

As the Product Design Lead for API Management Solutions, my role extended beyond execution—I was responsible for shaping the vision, onboarding a new UX designer, and ensuring a seamless design strategy.

Strategic alignment & stakeholder collaboration

I worked closely with executive leadership, development leads, and pre-sales teams to define business objectives and technical feasibility. Customer interviews were instrumental in uncovering pain points and validating the need for this product.

Design & research execution

Given that API Control Plane was among the first solutions of its kind, competitor analysis had limited scope. Instead, direct customer interviews provided key insights into real-world API management challenges. Working alongside our design system team, we developed complex analytics components, including dynamic graphs and dashboards, tailored specifically for API observability. Ensuring a low learning curve was critical, as this product needed to integrate seamlessly with other API management solutions. The visual design phase focused on creating intuitive data visualizations to help users analyze API performance at a glance.

Early validation

We initiated the testing process with low-fidelity wireframes and conducted internal think-aloud sessions with other product teams. Additionally, we presented demos to select customers to gather initial impressions.

Outcome & Next Steps

Although I transitioned from Software AG before the product’s official market release, we conducted early usability testing with customers and presented the prototype at the Software AG User Group Conference, receiving positive feedback and early beta adopters.

The API Control Plane simplified API governance, enabling enterprises to:

• Gain comprehensive visibility into their API ecosystems across different geographies.
• Manage APIs centrally by cataloging, comparing versions, and monitoring key metrics.
• Enhance control by identifying inconsistencies and optimizing API strategies.