A Framework for Applying an API-layered Architecture to e3value Models

Abstract: In this design science study three different layering options were created to find out which types of layering can improve modeled API ecosystems’ understandability and clarity. Two guides were also created to show how to layer e3value models, followed by a single guide focused only on splitting components into layers. The results indicated that the layering methods improved the understandability and clarity of the API ecosystem and that the difficulty of creating layered e3value models lies mostly in picking a layer for each component.