Multi-system integration & API governance

A leading German fiber network operator faced critical challenges in their digital transformation journey, requiring the integration of multiple systems across geographically dispersed development teams. With aggressive timelines for migrating to Salesforce, ServiceNow, and SAP, the company needed expert coordination to ensure seamless integration while maintaining development velocity across external agencies in Germany and India.

Challenges

Initial situation, pain points, and setup:

• High-pressure timeline for implementing comprehensive system integration across multiple platforms (Salesforce, ServiceNow, SAP)

• Complex coordination requirements across multiple external development agencies in Germany and India

• Need for standardized API contract design process to ensure system compatibility

• High-level designs existed but lacked detailed implementation alignment between teams

• Risk of development bottlenecks and integration failures due to parallel development without proper coordination

• Requirement to use TMForum base API contracts as foundation while ensuring custom business logic integration

Objectives

Establish and lead a coordinated integration approach that enables:

• Parallel development across multiple agencies without blocking dependencies

• Standardized API contract design process for seamless system integration

• Efficient coordination mechanisms between geographically dispersed teams

• Implementation of API governance tools and processes for long-term maintainability

• Seamless connection of system interfaces despite independent development tracks

Expected outcomes:

• Accelerated development velocity through parallelization

• Reduced integration risks and rework through proper API contract alignment

• Established API governance framework for future development initiatives

• Successful migration to target platforms within aggressive timelines

Approach

• Led the integration as a special contractor role in the Solution Architects Team, leveraging hands-on software engineering background

• Established a structured API contract design process enabling teams to align requirements before independent implementation

• Implemented collaborative API design tools, governance processes, and mock servers for testing and validation

• Coordinated regular alignment sessions between German and Indian development teams to prevent integration blockers

• Created parallel development tracks that maximized efficiency while maintaining integration compatibility

Obstacles

• Aggressive implementation timeline requiring highly parallelized development approach

• Coordination complexity across multiple external agencies with different development methodologies and time zones

• Need to balance development velocity with integration quality and system compatibility

• Requirement to maintain TMForum API standards while implementing custom business logic

• Risk of development teams working in silos without proper integration planning

Critical success factors

• Technical leadership with hands-on software engineering background

  • Deep understanding of API design principles and system integration challenges

  • Ability to bridge technical and business requirements across diverse stakeholder groups

  • Experience in coordinating geographically dispersed development teams

• Structured API governance approach

  • Clear API contract design process with stakeholder alignment requirements

  • Collaborative tools for API design, documentation, and mock servers

• Parallel development coordination

  • Early identification and resolution of blocking dependencies

  • Clear interfaces and integration points between systems

Key results

• Successfully coordinated parallel development across multiple agencies in Germany and India

• Established robust API governance framework with standardized contract design processes

• Enabled seamless system integration despite independent development tracks

• Completed 4.5-month engagement as Integration Lead within Solution Architects Team

• Established foundation for successful migration to Salesforce, ServiceNow, and SAP platforms