FileMaker is a well-established piece of software for developing custom business applications without having to get involved with conventional programming, but do you know where to begin?
A variety of sample applications are available to use as starting points for FileMaker projects, but some people don't know how to begin the process.
So FileMaker (the company) has published an ebook titled Plan: Your first steps toward creating a successful custom app (registration required).
The recommended steps are to evaluate your goals; write user scenarios and define the requirements; consider integration, security and deployment; prototype and test; and get support for building a custom app.
That might seem somewhat formal and technical, but if you were planning to build a set of bookshelves you probably wouldn't start sawing timber without thinking about what sized books you need to accommodate, what size and type of material would be needed to take their weight, how much space there is for the finished piece of furniture, and what will stop it from falling over.
Similarly, thinking systematically about the requirements before you start a FileMaker project can save wasting time and effort.
Two more guides will be offered in this series, one dealing with the actual creation of the app and the other covering deployment issues.
And if you like the idea of being able to experiment with FileMaker (the software) before you shell out for a licence, a free trial is available.
