Hey all. I'm a NYC teacher and I've been using FMP for years to make my job easier. During my endless search to simplify my own job, I have designed some ways that all schools could run more smoothly using FMP. I have no formal FMP training and, while my solutions are in no way amateurish, I feel as though I am missing some basic database skills and understanding. I am interested in pursuing FMP development as a second career, but I do not have a lot of money for training. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to beef up my skills? Any way to find a developer interested in having an apprentice or partner? Is there any place I can find someone willing to work on a project that may not reap any financial reward? Any help is appreciated.

Aaron

Hi Aaron,

Having run my own development/consultancy business for the past 13 years, the best recommendation I can give you is to gain skills in "systems". Business systems, school information systems (you already have), in general, it's the structure and information flow that they will employ you to a) setup for them (the easiest) where they have the ideas on how they want it to work and you just have to create it, and : create it for them (the hardest) where you have to analyse their needs and develop an information system to suite. Get yourself prepared for either of these and you should be off and running. It might be an idea to start with areas you are already familiar with (school systems) and branch out to like installations in your area. The internet can provide you with a global market, but your solutions will have to turnkey for that to be successful and your support system must be able to cope.

Thank you for the advice. I had been concerned with my actual FM development skills, but what you're saying makes a lot of sense to me. Thanks.

Aaron

Aaron:

There is a New York City FM Developers' Group at http://masdevelopment.com:3455/1/Home

I believe they have monthly meetings somewhere in Manhattan. I've never been, although I met some of them at MacWorld last year at the Javits Center, and they seem like a nice bunch. I just recently did a simple FMP7 system for a ESL school in Queens - student schedules, class schedules, test records and the like; it struck me that there is quite a good market for that kind of thing, especially for small & independent schools (the thought of dealing with the NYC Dept of Education makes me dizzy).

I am currently setting up a private computer training program in Brooklyn; one of the subjects is going to be FileMaker - we should be up and running in September/October, so long as the whole thing doesn't just fall apart before then. Drop me an email if you'd be interested in that kind of thing. Otherwise, these Forums are probably the best educational tool you'll find.

-Stanley

Michael is right -

Spend your time and energy on learning the business and processes of your target market. Then, during your quest for an FM solution, you'll learn the actual hands on development part.

I've found that 80% of my time in developing is spent on learning how the customer and their business operates. Your ability to grasp their processes is essential to your ability to be useful to them. The actual FM development skills are secondary.

Since you'll learn as you go, start with a few simple solutions as practice while your waiting for you big job. Maybe try making a simple Point of Sale solution with inventory and such. Or - try your hand at a video rental program. These are pretty straight forward databases, but you'll run into issues you may have never dealt with before - I think most anyone would learn a lot by creating these.

You'll also have to get familiar with various types of computer systems and networks - clients will have all sorts of various configurations. Think of FMP as the icing on the cake as far as learning goes. Energy spent learning how large enterprise databases (Oracle, etc) work will be invaluable while expanding your horizons.

Those "Dummies" series of books can be great if your flying solo into uncharted waters. There's also some great ones on FMPro that go far beyond the manual and include some theory as well. I like the "Bible" series by IDG Books.

You might inquire with your local user's group or an FMPug if you can enroll 15-20 people in your area to all pool in and hire a FileMaker Trainer to come and teach your group you will gain the benefit of formal training at a fraction of the cost of going to a class solo. I am going next month and I have been developing w/ FileMaker since version 1.0. Education is the never ending process - but as an educator you already know that