FileMaker Developer Conference 2016: Day 4

Last day of the FileMaker Developer Conference 2016 for our teammate Jocelyn Ostiguy. After the attendee party where he lived all the comradeship of the FileMaker community and the unifying effect of baseball, he started his last day of activities.

Our report and highlights of that fourth and last day.

Presenting effective reports

First session of the day: ‘’COR005 – Advanced Reporting and Dashboard Techniques’’ by Jason Erickson, Chief Technology Officer at Linear Blue, offered advice to optimize the presentation of results reporting in management dashboards. It focused particularly on the fact that they should be adapted and responsive regardless of the platform used: apps for mobile or desktop computer.

Design and mobile apps

Late morning: "Designing in Tight Spaces: Techniques for Mobile Custom Apps" presented by Matt Petrowsky, an authority in the FileMaker community and author of the renowned ISO FileMaker Magazine provided practical tips and ways of how to realize features specifically intended for mobile applications. This session was Jocelyn’s favorite of the entire FileMaker conference. He brings back with him several high-quality examples for his colleagues.

Custom apps for iOS

After the lunch break: ‘’Designing Custom Apps for iOS: Best Practices’’ by Yann Liqueur-Salzédo that Jocelyn had already seen during the week, addressed the aspects to consider when it comes time to design custom applications for iOS. That presenter also received a prize in the design category of the FileMaker Business Alliance Awards held during the closing ceremony.

For a better user experience

Last session of the day: ‘’User Experience vs. Usability’’ presented by Jordan Watson, FileMaker developer who collaborated on the design of apps for Apple, Rolls-Royce and the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, shared his experience in the conception of UI offering high-quality user experience. Jocelyn loved this session which exactly joined his thinking concerning the current stage of development of FileMaker applications.

Closing ceremony

To close the FileMaker Developer Conference 2016 an award ceremony was held. In addition to the prizes awarded to the members of the FileMaker Business Alliance. Prizes were also given to the winners of the developer’s competition which had to create, in less than 4 days, a FileMaker solution for selected non-profit organizations.

Jocelyn’s conclusion

Over the years, the FileMaker philosophy has evolved. From simple database it became a solution and then a custom app. Today's users switch from computers to their iPhone or iPad, to even their smart TVs. They are now in constant contact with well-presented interfaces that are also based on their increased experience of UI. FileMaker developers must take that aspect into account when developing applications, particularly when they are intended for a mobile use. Aptitude for Apps conference paid special attention to design and mobility, and we can notice that these two aspects of FileMaker development are increasingly present and will become essential in the near future.

That concludes our coverage of the FileMaker Developer Conference 2016.

See you in Phoenix, Arizona for the next edition!