---
layout: post
title: Hacking on Amazon Alexa with AWS Lambda and APIs At @APIStrat
image: >-
  http://kinlane-productions2.s3.amazonaws.com/api_evangelist_site/blog/screen_shot_2016_10_06_at_12.30.23_pm.png
atomdate: 2016-10-07T16:00:00.000Z
tags:
  - APIStrat
  - AWS
  - Amazon
  - APIs
---
I'm neck deep in studying how Amazon is operating their Alexa platform, so I'm pretty excited about [the chance to listen and learn from the Alexa team at APIStrat in Boston](http://boston2016.apistrat.com/schedule/). Even if you aren't building voice-enabled applications, the approach to developing, managing, and evangelizing the Alexa platform provides a wealth of best practices that we should all strive to emulate in our own operations.

Rob McCauley ([@RobMcCauley](https://twitter.com/RobMcCauley)) from the Amazon Alexa team is doing a workshop, as well as a keynote at @APIStrat in Boston next month. This is relevant to what is going on in the wider space because voice-enablement is a fast-moving layer when it comes to delivering API resources, helping define what is being dubbed as the conversational interface movement, while also providing the best practices for a modern API strategy that I mentioned above.

There are a number of things that the Alexa team does which have captured my attention, including their approach to developing skills, their [investment ($$) into their developers](http://apievangelist.com/2016/08/10/investing-in-your-api-community-like-amazon-and-slack/), and their [overall communication strategy](http://apievangelist.com/2016/10/04/amazon-alexa-as-an-example-when-it-comes-to-api-communications/). I'm working on profiling all of this as part of what I call a blueprint reports, where I map out the approach of the Alexa team in a way that other API providers can put to work in their own operations.

I'm thinking I will have to wait until after @APIStrat to finish my blueprint report, as I'd like to attend the Alexa workshop, hear his keynote, and possibly even talk to him personally about their approach, in the hallway. I hope to see you there, and hear you share your story, even if you aren't on the stage at APIStrat, the hallways tend to be a great place to listen to the story of leaders from across the space, as well as share your own--no matter how big or small you might be.

Make sure [you get registered for APIStrat](http://boston2016.apistrat.com/registration/) before it is sold out, and I'll see you there!