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iPad app for Ward Administration

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 2:46 pm
by adhansen5-p40
Let me preface this by explaining our situation, which is like many others im sure. In our bishopric meetings as we ponder and discuss the names presented us from the auxiliaries for callings we spend a lot of time trying to visualize in our minds the individuals and where they will "fit" in the whole picture. There is an old magnet board in Bishop's office, that could be used to display a "diagram", if you will, of the entire ward organization. In order to do this we would theoretically have to have a current photo of everyone that needs to be on the board along with a lot of space. The issue with such diagrams is that they are not very "private" anyone that enters the Bishop's office is able to see the diagram, and we have better things to do than to waste time putting up and down diagrams for meetings.

Over the past few months I have had an idea for some sort of program/software/app that would use the exported data files from mls to then arrange the data in a visual way. Much like the app WardTools does by dis ciphering the data files and allowing the user to run reports and view membership information.

What I would like to see is an app that could use the wards exported data to then arrange it in a graphical, organizational diagram, allowing councils (specifically Bishoprics/Presidencies) to view, ponder, discuss and prayerfully come to decisions over individuals in the stake/ward/branch. With the invention of the Apple iPad (which has video out capabilities) the app could be connected to a handheld projector and run in meetings to view and discuss scenarios and then turned off, protecting privacy and saving time and energy that could be better spent elswhere.

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 3:17 pm
by jonesrk
adhansen5 wrote: What I would like to see is an app that could use the wards exported data to then arrange it in a graphical, organizational diagram, allowing councils (specifically Bishoprics/Presidencies) to view, ponder, discuss and prayerfully come to decisions over individuals in the stake/ward/branch. With the invention of the Apple iPad (which has video out capabilities) the app could be connected to a handheld projector and run in meetings to view and discuss scenarios and then turned off, protecting privacy and saving time and energy that could be better spent elswhere.
I believe the new community Unit directory will have the leadership and pictures. I don't know if it will meet your needs. If not you could add it as a suggestion, or maybe a new community project could tweak what they are doing for this use.

I think this is coming soon to beta.

ORLY? iPad?

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 4:35 pm
by FutureJack-p40
adhansen5 wrote:With the invention of the Apple iPad...
A much better idea would be to use a laptop and the computer projector that many buildings already have. It may not be the sleek, hipster thing to do, but it would get the job done on the existing platform at a fraction of the cost.

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 6:34 pm
by dsinema-p40
Take it easy on the guy, he was just making a suggestion.

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 7:00 pm
by russellhltn
I think the suggestion is a good one. Ultimately it's going to fall to someone who wants it to develop it. Projectors that take computer input are common, so I don't see any reason to limit this to a specific platform. As a practical matter, it will be come "developer's choice". ;)

There's a few different possibilities. Since there is already software for associating photos and MLS data, it seems like it would be better to add this capability to the product.

Of course, one could do with the old magnetic chart and just rig up a set of curtains to go in front of it. :D

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:35 pm
by TechnoBabel-p40
FutureJack wrote:A much better idea would be to use a laptop and the computer projector that many buildings already have. It may not be the sleek, hipster thing to do, but it would get the job done on the existing platform at a fraction of the cost.

FutureJack is right. Let's show some acknowledgement for Church standards, which is Windows. There are plenty of Windows tablets available.

TB

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:40 pm
by adhansen5-p40
Platform is not the issue, be it Apple, Windows, or Linux. There is no software program to date with the capabilities to chart an organization of people and allow the user to manipulate the chart as to review possible scenarios. I've contemplated just using Word or Powerpoint on my netbook, but again, if there existed a program that could decipher the exported mls data files and organize them in an organized visual hierarchy it would be beneficial. I mentioned the iPad just because of it's unique portability and video out capabilities, not to mention the easy itunes deployment scheme.

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 10:37 pm
by russellhltn
ryan jones wrote:I think this is coming soon to beta.
I think it's there.

It looks like a good start. One could print each organization and it would work. It would be nice to see them all on one screen, but I'm not sure if it could be done without making each photo too small to be usable except on a very large screen.

Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 1:28 am
by russellhltn
adhansen5 wrote:I mentioned the iPad just because of it's unique portability and video out capabilities,
What type of video out? I think what's desired would not be possible with SDTV. I think you'd need at least HDTV if not computer monitor grade video.

Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:31 am
by adhansen5-p40
On the advice of ryan jones, I visited the new http://beta.lds.org/directory and it looks very good. It allows you to browse the leadership directory with added photo capabilities. What I would like to see is the ability to run reports like we do in mls, such as Members without Callings, Unordained Deacon aged boys, etc. these reports coupled with the ward directory at a glance would be very powerful in a bishopric meeting setting.