I am preparing a training section of my API Evangelist research, and part of the process involves learning about what other API providers and API service providers are up to in this area. On my list to look through is Facebook Blueprint, their training area for the platform. The courses present there aren’t specifically for the Facebook API, and is targeting primarily business uses, but the approach translates to API focused training materials, and showcases what is a priority for Facebook when it comes to educating their platform consumers.
As part of my API training research I want to understand the building blocks employed by Facebook so that I can apply as part of my API Evangelist training efforts, and help other API providers and service providers apply as part of their operations as well. Here are a few of the API training building blocks I found present:
- Courses - A variety of online courses that teach you about everything Facebook.
- Webinars - The webinars they provide around the content they are publishing.
- Live - The live, in person workshops and courses they provide around the world.
- Case Studies - Case studies of companies who have used Facebook courses.
- Press - Press about the Facebook Blueprint, and how they are spreading the word.
- Certifications - Facebook specific certifications that you can archive.
- Exams - The tests that are available around the facebook courses.
- How it Works - Some details about how Facebook training works.
- Policies - The legal side of things, covering all of our bases.
- FAQ - Some of the frequently asked questions around the training platform.
- Support & Help - Where you can get support and more help when it comes to training.
Facebook breaks down their training into course categories and learning paths, providing two main ways for potential students to find what they are looking for. Facebook Blueprint provides…well, a blueprint that other API providers and service providers can consider when pulling together your trainings for your API training. Providing online, and offline courses is just the start, and as Facebook shows, there are some additional building blocks that need to be present for it to work.
I have some other API platform training areas to go through before I settle in on a strategy for my own API Evangelist training efforts. Ultimately I want my approach to become a blueprint that my customers can put to work. I’m even looking to turn my API training blueprint into a course by itself, so that I can help some of my customers with their training efforts, and even train the trainers in some situations, providing them with course content, and the awareness of the API space they need to be successful delivering courses within their company, organizations, institution, and government agency. In 2018, I’m investing in my storytelling on API Evangelist, as well as industry guides, white papers, and training material for my readers, and privately wherever it is needed.
