Preface

This is a book about mastery. But what does this mean? What does being a QlikView master mean?

When I wrote QlikView for Developers Cookbook, Packt Publishing, I started the preface with the sentence:

"There is no substitute for experience."

When it comes to QlikView, experience is the thing that makes a difference. Experience is the difference between the developers who can create good applications and the consultants who can create real business solutions that solve real business problems.

I have been working with QlikView since 2006, and in this time, I have created some fantastic solutions. I also created applications that I cringe to look at today. I like to think that I have mastered the subject, even though I am still learning.

At CapricornVentis, I work with one of the brightest bunch of consultants; it has ever been my pleasure to work with them. I get to teach a lot but I also get to learn a tremendous amount from these guys. We are constantly pushing the boundaries of the product to get to the right solution. As a beginner in this area, I would have wanted to work for an organization like CapricornVentis, where I could really learn and grow as a consultant.

Let's be clear; I do not know every little detail about QlikView, but I do know most of them. What I think I know, and know really well, are the important things to know about when creating QlikView solutions. This knowledge is what I have tried to distil down into this book.

You won't be a master by just reading this book. As Alfred Korzybski famously stated:

"The map is not the territory."

This book is not an ultimate mastering guide, rather is a like a map that guides us towards our common destination—to become a QlikView master. Study the map well and you will get there.