HomeAuthor InterviewsInterview with Ricardo Pereira

Interview with Ricardo Pereira

Ricardo Pereira is the author of Rapid Application Development with OutSystems we got the chance to sit down with him and find out more about his experience of writing with Packt.

Q: What is/are your specialist tech area(s)?

Ricardo : OutSystems Development

Q: How did you become an author for Packt? Tell us about your journey. What was your motivation for writing this book?

Ricardo : It all started with an invitation, I had never thought of being an author. I felt it was a very exciting challenge and I accepted it. It was amazing, during the process I found out so much about OutSystems and, more importantly, about me and about sharing knowledge. It was fantastic!

Q: What kind of research did you do, and how long did you spend researching before beginning the book?

Ricardo : In writing this book, I relied largely on the knowledge I gained from my nearly six years of software development experience on the OutSystems platform. However, I investigated a lot of documentation, tried many solutions and new ways to be able to share the best experience possible.

Q: Did you face any challenges during the writing process? How did you overcome them?

Ricardo : Yes, the fact that it is extensive and covers several areas. The solution went through a basic principle, divide and conquer. I divided everything into smaller blocks, and I always had in mind the fluidity and connection between these same blocks. It was very challenging!

Q: What’s your take on the technologies discussed in the book? Where do you see these technologies heading in the future?

Ricardo : I don’t see OutSystems technology in the future: OutSystems is already the future! The market’s need makes low-code development platforms become the preferred choice of companies, that’s the only way to keep up with today’s evolution.

Q: Why should readers choose this book over others already on the market? How would you differentiate your book from its competition?

Ricardo : This book is based on practical experience in the market. In this book the focus is to convey, above all, pragmatism in development. Of course there is also a focus on the theoretical part, it made no sense to say how it is done without explaining why. But above all, it is a reflection of my path, not just theory.

Q. What are the key takeaways you want readers to come away from the book with?

Ricardo : That the OutSystems platform is the future of software development, that with this technology it’s as if we’ve been equipped with superhero powers! Because it’s true!

Q. What advice would you give to readers learning tech? Do you have any top tips?

Ricardo : First, a lot of patience and calm. Second, practice a lot. With practice many of the things that seem incomprehensible to us quickly become simple. And above all, always stay up to date. This world evolves at a dizzying speed and we have to keep up!

Q. Do you have a blog that readers can follow?

Ricardo : Yes, you can follow me in the medium: https://ricardomlpereira.medium.com/

Q. Can you share any blogs, websites and forums to help readers gain a holistic view of the tech they are learning?

Ricardo : Yes. You can join the OutSystems community, that’s a world in itself! You can find everything there, from question forums, learning section, components repository, ideas forums…everything! You can register here: https://www.outsystems.com/community/

Q. How would you describe your author journey with Packt? Would you recommend Packt to aspiring authors?

Ricardo : It was an amazing journey! Always with immense support and help and motivation from the Packt team! In addition, they are fantastic people and super cheerful! I highly recommend Packt!

Q. Do you belong to any tech community groups?

Ricardo : Yes, I am part of the OutSystems community (you can also belong, just register) and I am an OutSystems Champion in that community.

Q. What are your favorite tech journals? How do you keep yourself up to date on tech?

Ricardo : As a rule, I follow all documentation and information that is submitted in the Outsystems community. In addition, I follow trends and study the ones that interest me through educational portals such as edX, Udemy and Open University.

Q. How did you organize, plan, and prioritize your work and write the book?

Ricardo : It was a question of balance. As I love what I do, it was not difficult to make available some of my free time to be able to combine the two things. Besides that, deep down, both complement each other.

Q. What is that one writing tip that you found most crucial and would like to share with aspiring authors?

Ricardo : First, think carefully about the structure. If the structure is fluid and makes sense, everything will go better. Also, iterate over what we’ve written several times. Check and recheck, try to see if the chain is correct.

You can find Ricardo’s book on Amazon by following this link: Please click here

Rapid Application Development with OutSystems is Available on Amazon.com