REST API Design Workshop Using ADDR
Design Great APIs with Confidence
A hands-on workshop that teaches your teams to design REST APIs using the Align-Define-Design-Refine (ADDR) process—an outside-in, design-first approach focused on jobs-to-be-done and outcomes.
What Your Teams Gain
Outcomes, Not Just Endpoints
The workshop is built on the ADDR process from the book Principles of Web API Design (Addison-Wesley). It combines short lectures with hands-on lab exercises so teams apply the full ADDR process from start to finish.
- Hands-on REST API design experience that supports reuse and agility
- Product managers, architects, and developers designing APIs together
- APIs that meet the needs of your business, partners, and customers
- A repeatable, design-first process that scales across teams
- Better quality for both new and existing APIs
Workshop Outline
Five Units Along the ADDR Trail
Each unit pairs short lessons with guided walkthroughs and exercises your teams complete on their own APIs.
Unit 1 Establishing a Scalable API-First Design ProcessOverview
- LessonWhy Do We Need an API Design Process?
- LessonDelivering Outcomes Through Digital Capabilities
- LessonOverview of the ADDR Process
Unit 2 Aligning on Digital Capabilities and OutcomesAlign
- LessonAligning on Your API Needs
- LessonIdentify Digital Capabilities Using Job Stories
- WalkthroughHow to Write a Job Story
- ExerciseWriting Job Stories
- LessonCapturing Activity Steps
- WalkthroughIdentifying Activity Steps
- ExerciseComplete the Activity Steps
- LessonAn Introduction to EventStorming
Unit 3 Transform Outcomes and Activities into an API ProfileDefine
- LessonFinding API Boundaries
- WalkthroughFinding API Boundaries
- LessonModeling API Profiles
- WalkthroughModeling an API
- ExerciseModel Your API
- LessonValidating API Profiles Using API Sequence Diagrams
- ExerciseValidating API Profiles Using API Sequence Diagrams
Unit 4 From API Profile to a REST-based API DesignDesign
- LessonReview of REST API Principles
- LessonApplying ADDR to REST API Design
- WalkthroughCreating a High-Level REST API Design
- ExerciseComplete the API REST Design
Unit 5 Refining Your REST API Through Rapid FeedbackRefine
- LessonValidating API Design Using Sequence Diagramming
- ExerciseValidating API Design Using API Sequence Diagrams
- LessonRefining the REST API Design Through Mocking
- ExerciseREADME Mocking
- LessonCapturing Your Working API Design Using OpenAPI Specification (OAS)
- ExerciseCreate your OpenAPI Document
Before You Start
Prerequisites
Attendees should be familiar with the following concepts:
- API fundamentals, including HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE) and common HTTP response codes
- REST principles and CRUD-based APIs
- JSON structures for representing resources
- Basic composition of an OpenAPI document in YAML or JSON
Need a refresher? Start with our Fundamentals of Web APIs workshop, or bundle both courses in an enterprise site license.
Delivery Options
Choose How Your Teams Learn
Three ways to bring the REST API Design Workshop to your organization.
Instructor-Guided Online Course
For individual product managers, product owners, architects, and developers
A self-paced course with short lectures, walkthroughs, and exercises.
- Each exercise is submitted to an instructor for feedback
- Solution walkthroughs for every exercise
- Learn at your own pace
Private Corporate Workshop
For teams that want live, instructor-led delivery
Traditional instructor-led delivery across three half-day sessions, delivered virtually.
- Up to 30 participants
- Ideal for geographically distributed teams
- Lower cost than in-person delivery
- On-site delivery available for an additional fee
Enterprise Site License
For large organizations upskilling many teams
Self-paced learning videos and exercises for your entire organization.
- No per-seat licenses or yearly renewals
- Slides for all content, so lessons can be customized
- Videos in mp4 format
- SCORM packages for import into your LMS
