Tech Forum

The new communication about the "My Plan" tool for missionaries coming home indicates Bishops should have access in LCR. Any idea where it is?

I may be blind and just overlooking it, but given the last roll out of the youth safety report actually not being there for several weeks after the announcement I thought I would ask here.

There's a "My Plan" booklet in Gospel Library under "Young Adults" – is that what you're looking for?
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... s?lang=eng

sbradshaw wrote:There's a "My Plan" booklet in Gospel Library under "Young Adults" – is that what you're looking for?
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... s?lang=eng

That's helpful but not what the communication said will exist. It indicated there will be visibility to the Bishop of the Plans the soon-to-be-returning missionaries have completed. It indicated it will be in LCR for Bishops.

This link is useful though, I'll send to our bishop.

chriswoodut wrote:The new communication about the "My Plan" tool for missionaries coming home indicates Bishops should have access in LCR. Any idea where it is?

Yep.

Menu > Organizations > Full-time Missionaries > Returned

scgallafent wrote:

chriswoodut wrote:The new communication about the "My Plan" tool for missionaries coming home indicates Bishops should have access in LCR. Any idea where it is?

Yep.

Menu > Organizations > Full-time Missionaries > Returned

Ok, that's a bit buried. I don't see anything related to "My Plan" on that page, but I'm not a bishop so I'll have our Bishop check.

chriswoodut wrote:

scgallafent wrote:

chriswoodut wrote:The new communication about the "My Plan" tool for missionaries coming home indicates Bishops should have access in LCR. Any idea where it is?

Menu > Organizations > Full-time Missionaries > Returned

Ok, that's a bit buried. I don't see anything related to "My Plan" on that page, but I'm not a bishop so I'll have our Bishop check.

As you said, "bishops should have access in LCR." (Emphasis mine.)

The plan information is with the list of returned missionaries in LCR, which is the most logical place to put it. If we put everything at the top level, you would end up with a gigantic menu full of top-level items that you would have to sift through instead.

scgallafent wrote:

chriswoodut wrote:

scgallafent wrote: Menu > Organizations > Full-time Missionaries > Returned

Ok, that's a bit buried. I don't see anything related to "My Plan" on that page, but I'm not a bishop so I'll have our Bishop check.

As you said, "bishops should have access in LCR." (Emphasis mine.)

The plan information is with the list of returned missionaries in LCR, which is the most logical place to put it. If we put everything at the top level, you would end up with a gigantic menu full of top-level items that you would have to sift through instead.

I think Bishops tend to use the missionary recommendation system to see the list of missionaries. We weren't even aware of this deeper menu to see returned missionaries. Plus, there's a cognitive leap to make from the menu title Full-time Missionaries to thinking that would also include returned missionaries and their "my plan". Then only making it visible to those with access (which I understand is a UI trend) means ward clerks can't point the bishop in the right direction as they have no idea where "My Plan" would be even if they knew this menu item existed since it is hidden to them.

Anyway, the communication sent out does not include the location of this menu option. I wish we'd switch to a dashboard approach that is somewhat customized to the calling. Then a bishop could see the My Plan on his dashboard and know it exists. But, as a ward clerk I could see move ins/outs on my dashboard rather than having to remember to check the reports proactively. With the constant turnover in callings, new bishops will go a long time before they ever stumble across this deeper menu (if ever) and clerks will probably only learn the minimum of the actual tools in LCR.

All valid points.

chriswoodut wrote:Plus, there's a cognitive leap to make from the menu title Full-time Missionaries to thinking that would also include returned missionaries and their "my plan".

I'm not sure what it's like for other organizations, but I would have been hunting for this under "Reports" or something similar.

chriswoodut wrote:Then only making it visible to those with access (which I understand is a UI trend) means ward clerks can't point the bishop in the right direction as they have no idea where "My Plan" would be even if they knew this menu item existed since it is hidden to them.

Suggestion: make all unit options visible to the clerk, but gray out the ones he doesn't have access to. That way, the clerk is aware of it's existence and can guide the bishop, but he doesn't have to click on it to know he'll get "access denied". I wouldn't suggest that globally for other callings, or you'll get even more complaints on why someone doesn't have access to something. I say "unit" so the ward clerk only sees bishop-level options, but the stake clerk sees the stake president-level options.

chriswoodut wrote:I wish we'd switch to a dashboard approach that is somewhat customized to the calling. Then a bishop could see the My Plan on his dashboard and know it exists. But, as a ward clerk I could see move ins/outs on my dashboard rather than having to remember to check the reports proactively.

While I can see the benefit, it would make any kind of user-to-user support (including clerk to bishop) even harder.

russellhltn wrote:

chriswoodut wrote:Plus, there's a cognitive leap to make from the menu title Full-time Missionaries to thinking that would also include returned missionaries and their "my plan".

I'm not sure what it's like for other organizations, but I would have been hunting for this under "Reports" or something similar.

Or in the missionary's Member Profile (maybe right under the country and language).