API Aggregation, Reciprocity, and Orchestration

I struggle a lot with how I separate out my research areas--there are a lot of reasons why I will break off, or group information in a certain way. Really it all comes down to some layer of separation in my head, or possibly what I perceive will be in my readers head. For example, I broke off hypermedia into its own research project, but now I'm considering just weaving it into my API design research

This is one of the reasons I conduct my research the way I do, is that it lets me spin out research, if I feel necessary, but I can easily combine projects, when I want as well. As I move API aggregation and reciprocity out of my "trends" category, and into my primary bucket of research, I'm consideration an addition of a 3rd area dedicated to just orchestration. Right now I'm considering aggregation staying focused on providing APIs that bring together multiple APIs into a single interface, and reciprocity is about moving things between two API driven services--I'm thinking orchestration will be more about the bigger picture that will involve automation, scheduling, events, jobs, logging, and much more. 

I enjoy my research being like my APIs, and keeping them the smallest possible units as possible. When they start getting too big, I can carve off a piece into its own area. I can also easily daisy chain them together, like API design, definitions, and hypermedia are. Some companies I track on will only enable API reciprocity at the consumer level, like IFTTT, where others like Cloud Elements will live in aggregation, reciprocity, and orchestration. I also think orchestration will always deal with business or industrial grade API usage, where my individual users can look to some of the lighter weight, more focused solutions, available in reciprocity.

Who knows? I might change my tune in the future, but for now I have enough curated stories, and companies who are focused on API orchestration to warrant the spinning off of its own research. Once added, I will link offf the home page of API Evangelist with the other 35+ research projects into how APIs are being put to work. I'm hoping that like my research into API monitoring, testing, and performance has produced a critical Venn diagram for me, that API aggregation, reciprocity, and orchestration, will better help me understand see the overlap in these areas for both API provider, and consumer.