Do not index
Do not index
Not long ago, I shared a tutorial on crafting a private Postman app for Zapier. While anyone can use the private version of the app or clone the github from the tutorial. That tutorial sparked a thought: what if this weren't just a private app but a fully-fledged official public Zapier app?
How would the entire lifecycle—plan, build, market, support—unfold for an integration of this sort?
So, I decided to explore exactly that. In this series, I'll take you through each step as if Lunch Pail Labs were bringing this Postman app for Zapier into the public domain. We start where every solid integration begins: the planning stage.
Let’s dive in!
How to plan
At Lunch Pail Labs, I like to keep things simple so while research and analysis might be part of our planning stage it usually ends with a planning document or Product Requirements Document (PRD) to showcase all the learnings and planning succinctly.
A PRD is a detailed guide that outlines what a product—or in my case, an integration—should do and how it should perform. It's particularly useful for planning complex third-party apps and integrations, which are like smaller products themselves.
The PRD helps ensure all stakeholders are on the same page and that the project moves forward with a clear, shared vision. Here's how I break it down:
- TL;DR: A brief summary that gives you the gist of the integration quickly.
- Problem: This section provides a snapshot of the specific ecosystem environment and the challenges or gaps that the integration aims to tackle.”
- Goals & Non-Goals: The objectives the integration will meet for the business and users and what the integration isn’t trying to solve at this stage
- User Stories: These narratives describe how a user will interact with the integration, providing a clear picture of the user journey. We use the format As a [persona], I [want to], [so that].
- Technical considerations: Any notes on the tools or frameworks we’ll use to build the integration
- Metrics: This project will track metrics for now. In a real engagements, we'd set specific benchmarks with partners like Postman, based on mutual goals.
- Milestones & sequencing: The main phases of development, laid out in a logical order.
About Postman and Zapier
Before we dive into the PRD, let's take a moment to understand the key players: Postman and Zapier. Postman is a powerful platform for API development, offering tools that support every stage of the API lifecycle.
Zapier, on the other hand, connects your favorite apps and automates workflows, acting as a bridge between disparate services.
The integration of these two platforms can unlock new efficiencies and capabilities, streamlining processes and enhancing connectivity between the tools
Now let’s get into the PRD.
The Postman App for Zapier Product Requirements Document
TL;DR
A Postman app for Zapier simplifies workflows, allowing integration of Postman's API collections with Zapier's 6000+ tools. Initially, the app will focus on syncing collection data across platforms.
Problem
While Postman (500,000 businesses) and Zapier (2.2 million companies) are both widely used, their potential for integrated workflows remains largely untapped. Evidence of mutual users of Postman and Zapier users is is seen in over 200 forum discussions with at least one specific request for a Zapier app.
Despite the availability of over 200 apps in Zapier's developer tools category, few cater to API testing and development, highlighting a gap this integration could fill. A Zapier integration could also provide an option for other integration use cases that are in Postman’s open requests like Atlassian, Jira, and ServiceNow.
Currently, many postman integrations focus on syncing collections, suggesting a starting point for a Zapier integration. By starting small, we could address this unmet need and expand based on user feedback and demand.
Goals & non-goals
Goals and non-goals of the integration
Goals:
- Connect Postman and Zapier users to improve workflow and collaboration.
- Simplify the creation of integrations for diverse API applications.
Non-Goals:
- Implement trigger functionality outside of collection APIs to start
User Stories
The integration will solve the following user stories
- As a developer, I want to trigger a Zap when a new collection is created in Postman, so I can automate the sharing of this collection with my team on Microsoft Teams.
- As a QA engineer, I want to back up my Postman collections to Google Drive automatically, ensuring I have regular backups without manual intervention.
- As a product manager, I want to receive notifications in Trello when my team updates a Postman collection, keeping me informed about collection changes and updates.
User Experience
A walk through of the flow of the integration from the perspective of the user
- Set Up Connection: Users link their Postman account to Zapier, activating the integration.
- Configure Triggers: Users choose triggers that initiate actions, like when a new collection is created in Postman.
- Configure Actions: Users define what happens when triggers occur, such as sending a Slack message or creating a Google Drive file.
- Enable the Zap: Users turn on their zap, which then operates automatically based on the configured triggers and actions.
Technical Considerations
The integration incorporates the following:
- Zapier’s Platform CLI for setting up the integration flow
- Postmans collection APIs to handle data from Postman’s collections
- Zapier’s API Polling: This integration utilizes Zapier's API polling to monitor for new collections in Postman. An added input allows users to set their own polling frequency, providing an alternative to Zapier's default 1-15 minute intervals.
- Postman’s API Limits: Postman imposes API call restrictions according to users subscription tier. Users will need to adjust the polling frequency within the Zapier trigger to stay within these limits.
Metrics
To track our performance effectively, we utilize Zapier's analytics, supplemented by user feedback, focusing on key metrics including:
- Status of zaps: Active, paused, and total zaps for every trigger and action.
- Response distribution: Analysis of request responses categorized by status codes (2xx, 3xx, 4xx, 5xx) and errors.
- Unique user count: Monitoring the number of distinct users engaging with the integration.
- User feedback: Gathering insights and opinions directly from our users to inform improvements.
Milestones & Sequencing
Stage | Description |
MVP Development | Develop v1 |
Beta testing | Introduce a beta version to a targeted user group. Gather and assess feedback for enhancements. |
Official launch | Execute full-scale launch with comprehensive marketing and educational resources. Establish continuous support and monitoring channels. |
Support & ongoing iteration | Develop supplementary assets to bolster integration. Iterate based on user feedback for continual improvement. |
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