Encouraging Members to Use Unit Websites

bartbarker · #41

kristacook wrote:Tom warned us about linking to areas inside a web site so I avoided it.

Why are we supposed to avoid linking to inside pages of a Web site? Just curious. I'll often check out a link, but if I have to poke around too much to find what I'm looking for I usually won't bother.

#42

I believe that it was refering to an absolute reference to a page. A relative link would be ok and won't break when the beta is dropped from the address. For example a relative link to this thread would be

Code: Select all

/forum/showthread.php?t=88&page=5

not

Code: Select all

http://beta.tech.lds.org/forum/showthread.php?t=88&page=5

WelchTC · #43

kristacook wrote:The web sites for seniors/technology I posted were just to the main page. Tom warned us about linking to areas inside a web site so I avoided it. The information is there. You just have to dig for it.

And just to be clear, you can link to any sub page within a web site. You just cannot link to a specific document (doc, pdf, xls, exe, etc.). The only exception is if you link to a document on one of the official LDS web sites. The reason is that it would be very easy for people to post a link to a document that could be infected with some sort of virus. If you want to tell people about a document on a web site, link them to the page where the document resides if possible and then let the people decide if they want to download the file.

kristacook wrote:One thing I learned from meandering around the senior tech web sites is that some programs provide for young people to mentor an older person one-on-one.

Actually this would be a great service project for youth in the ward. I know that my boy has done this on occasion and it helps the individuals he is helping but also helps him.

Tom

KGBurton · #44

kristacook wrote:I, and others hopefully, would really like to hear the details from anyone posting who actually conducts one of the "tech nights" -- how it was publicized, set-up, conducted, perceived success etc. There isn't any point in rediscovering the wheel if we can avoid it.

We held one in our ward (sponsored by the HP group) in mid-January. The agenda was an html page with links. We held it in a member home with a projector. I used Firefox with tabs and all the links pre-opened so that I didn't have to wait for links to load except when responding to questions. This was the first of several to simply help people understand what was available "officially". Using the Ward site was not on our agenda (would have been a good thing to do).

I don't see any way to attach a file. Don't know how this will work either, but below this paragraph is the html for the web page with the agenda and links: (There is a 10K text limit per message!)

[HTML] <html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type"
content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<meta name="GENERATOR"
content="Mozilla/4.73 [en] (Win98; I) [Netscape]">
<title>January 2007 HP Fireside - Official Church Internet Resources</title>
</head>
<body style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192);"
alink="#ff0000" link="#0000ff" vlink="#551a8b">
<table style="width: 100%; text-align: left;" border="0" cellpadding="2"
cellspacing="2">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top;">
<div style="text-align: center;"> </div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"><big><big><big>Using
the Official Church Internet Resources to support

the Three Fold Mission of the Church </big></big></big></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<ul>
<table style="width: 100%; text-align: left;" border="1"
cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"><big><big>Overview</big></big></td>
<td style="vertical-align: top;"><span
style="font-family: arial;">Many of the tools and resources provided
can be used to support more than one of the missions of the Church. As
you prepare lessons and activities, whether for a church calling or a
family responsibility, keep in mind the overlaps.</span>

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top;"> <big><big><span
style="font-weight: bold;">Proclaim the Gospel</span></big></big>

</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top;">

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Preach My
Gospel. This is not presently available in electronic format ...
everyone should have a copy of this book.</div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">(<a
href="http://www.ldscatalog.com/">http://www. ... log.com</a>,
search for "36617000" - this is the English item number)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Referrals

</div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;"><a
href="http://lds.org/sharefriend/"> http://lds.org/sharefriend/</a> 
or 1-888-LDS-7700 (1-888-537-7700)

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Guests who want to know more
about
the Church on their own can be sent to

</div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;"><a
href="http://www.mormon.org/welcome/">http:// ... elcome/</a>

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Information about the church:

</div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;"><a
href="http://www.lds.org/newsroom/0,15239,149 ... 00.html</a>

<a
href="http://www.lds.org/humanitarianservices ... 00.html</a>

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Information about the church
leaders</div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;"><a
href="http://www.lds.org/newsroom/biographies ... 00.html</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Missionary Opportunities (full
& part-time)</div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;"><a
href="http://www.lds.org/csm/0,17022,4431-1,0 ... 00.html</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Planning a family vacation to
strengthen testimonies</div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;"><a
href="http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/0,1547 ... 00.html</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"><big><big>Perfect
the Saints</big></big></td>
<td style="vertical-align: top;">

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Preparing Lessons</div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">Preach My
Gospel
(see link above - perfect for family home evenings)

<a href="http://www.lds.org/gospellibrary/0,5082 ... 00.html</a>

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Personal Study </div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;"><a
href="http://farms.byu.edu/">http://farms.byu.edu/</a>

<a href="http://www.lds.org/gospellibrary/0,5082 ... 00.html</a>

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Recreation/Entertainment </div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;"><a
href="http://www.lds.org/events/0,8191,713,00 ... 00.html</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Finding
Opportunities to Serve: </div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;"><a
href="http://www.lds.org/csm/0,17022,4431-1,0 ... 00.html</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Temples:</div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;"><big> </big><a
href="http://lds.org/temples/home/">http://ld ... s/home/</a>

<big> </big></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Finding a place to go to church

</div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;"><a
href="http://lds.org/units/find/0,12831,2311- ... 00.html</a>

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Personal & Family Welfare

<ul>
<li>storage</li>
<li>budgeting</li>
<li>job searching and skills</li>
</ul>
</div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;"><a
href="http://www.providentliving.org/">http:/ ... ng.org/</a>

<ul>
<li><a
href="http://www.providentliving.org/channel/ ... ml</a></li>
<li><a
href="http://www.providentliving.org/channel/ ... 00.html</a> </li>
<li><a
href="http://www.providentliving.org/channel/ ... ml</a></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">The Church Technology Forum</div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top;"><a
href="http://www.ldstech.lds.org/">http://bet ... rg</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"><big><big>Redeem
the Dead</big></big></td>
<td style="vertical-align: top;">

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Family Search

If you obtain your membership ID and confirmation date, you can
register for an account that enables you to get IGI information.
Ordinances done in the temple yesterday appear in the IGI today (not a
rule, just an observation).

</div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;"><a
href="http://www.familysearch.org/">http://ww ... ch.org/</a>

Example: Charles Thomas Le Sourd, exact spelling on. (look first
without logging
in), then login and show the difference in information available. Walk
through the tabs ...

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">Temples

</div>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-family: arial;"><a
href="http://lds.org/temples/home/">http://ld ... s/home/</a> </td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

</ul>
</body>
</html>[/HTML]

pbarrus · #45

When an enhancement (or fix) is made to the Stake websites, why not either email that information to the Stake Web site Administrator (who can then distribute it to the Ward Admin) OR post it on the Admin (green) side?

Phyl

Inquiring minds.....

pmouritsen-p40 · #46

Our ward web site finally seems to be catching on, but it has taken a lot longer and has been a lot more work than I thought it would be. When I started working on this a couple of years ago, I thought that the benefits would be apparent to everyone and that they would want to sign up and use it. Not so. I have found that it is necessary to convince each ward leader and each ward member individually that the site could help them. I guess people are just slow to change their habits.

But now we have about 70 people signed up. Most of the active families in our little ward have at least one person who is registered. Most of them can now remember their passwords, but I have had to help some of them reset their passwords several times. Most of the e-mail addresses are up to date; I check them onces in a while and remind people to update their profiles. Some of the auxilliary leaders are finally beginning to post their activities on the calendar without being prodded. A few leaders are submitting news articles, even articles with pictures.

But what is most gratifying is that we now have a small, enthusiastic cadre of perhaps 25 or 30 people who use the site almost every day and tell me that they do not know how they ever managed without it. That may not sound like much, but it is a start. The most enthusuastic users are not the ward leaders but the active members who are otherwise sort of out of the loop.

So, if you are a new administrator, don't expect quick results and don't get discouraged. Just keep putting up good content and keep talking to people about the site.

rpyne · #47

kims wrote:I am also a ward website administrator, newly called. One of the problems I've run into (so far) is that people have forgotten passwords or user names, and no one here knows how to restore them. I get referred to someone at the stake level, who refers me to someone in SLC, who says I should have that info myself. Help! Who is supposed to keep that info for the ward? Any suggestions?

If you have administrator privileges, you can look up their user name. Simply click on Administrator Options -> Registered Users to find their user name.

To reset their password, they need the same information they need to register the first time. They just need to click on the "Forgot your password" link on the login page.

dragev · #48

thedqs wrote:Any ideas what could be added to make it more user friendly?

One big issue that jumps right out at me is repeating calendar events. Rarely does a recurring calendar event not have any exceptions (the only one I can think of at the moment is family home evening; even fast Sunday has exceptions

). For example, say the young women meet "every" Thursday. It would be nice to be able to set up a YW event that repeats every Thursday for the entire year (or repeats indefinitely) recognizing the fact that there will be some Thursdays throughout the year when they will not meet for whatever reason. The problem today is that if I do this, then I cannot remove any instances of this set of events. Furthermore, the usefulness of including event details for repeating events is lost in the fact that the event details can't be changed for individual instances of the repeating event. Most events in my stake/ward have some kind of repeating pattern, but the software doesn't support this fact in a useful way.

To be useful I think that every event that is associated with a recurrence pattern must be able to override any property of the set. So, I should be able to override the calculated date of an instance, the title, the details, etc, all without breaking it's association with the whole set (because some properties you may want to inherit from the set, such as the title).

There is also the issue of improving the make repeating event dialog. For example, "The [first, second, third, fourth, last] [Sunday, Monday, etc.] of ..." option in Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly patterns should also have the option of the fifth [Sunday. Monday, etc.]. There should also be the option of a specific day of the month for Monthly patterns, like "The [16] day of every [1] month(s)."

Another calendar related issue that I see is the trade off between abbreviate titles and official event titles. This may seem like a little thing, but to me it is significant because we are constantly welcoming new members and they are not usually familiar with all our abbreviations and acronyms. Because event titles must all be squeezed into little squares on the calendar it is tempting to abbreviate event titles without disclosing the official unabbreviated title to the user. A solution to this would be to have two title fields for every event --- the official event title and the abbreviated event title. Visually, the software would display the abbreviated title in the monthly view of the calendar (with the official title in a tool tip), and display the official title in the list view. Another solution would be to have a catalog of abbreviations that the software would use to automagically abbreviate event titles in the monthly view, so, every time a title has the text "Young Women" it would be displayed in the monthly view as "YW", for example.

dragev · #49

thedqs wrote:Any ideas what could be added to make it more user friendly?

I almost forgot about another major issue with the calendar, that is event notifications! Currently, as soon as the event is posted, a notification is sent immediately to everyone in the groups selected. This may not be a problem in a few cases, such as when the event is scheduled to happen with a week or so, but is probably not useful at all if the event is scheduled to be held, say, 10 months in the future. Better to configure how many days before the event to send the notification, or better yet, let the members configure this in their profile; this way members in the applicable groups will get an email reminder at a time when it would be helpful to them.

dragev · #50

thedqs wrote:Any ideas what could be added to make it more user friendly?

One of the biggest problems I see overall with maintaining the stake/ward web sites is the fact that the information we want on the site, for practical reasons, is maintained off site by members having various responsibilities. The reason is mainly related to the need to maintain drafts of the information until it is approved/ready for general consumption.

Take the calendar, for example. Stake and ward leaders typically want to review planned calendar events in various meetings to ensure that there are no conflicts or other matters that need to be cleared before they are advertised publicly. This is especially important before a new year, as annual calendaring is coordinated between the various organizations and stake/ward levels. Because the stake/ward website does not support the concept of a draft, with view/edit privileges assigned to specific members, leaders will invariable resort to using a different tool to maintain the calendar. Of course when the official calendar is maintained somewhere else, there is a good chance the stake/ward web calendar will often be inaccurate.

Perhaps the most successful area of the stake/ward web site is the membership directory. Why? Because the information comes from the same data source that is exposed to the Member & Leader Services (MLS) software. So here we have a case where another internal tool (MLS) works for maintaining web site information off site.

I think we should further integrate the stake/ward web sites with MLS. I'm an MIS veteran and am not too familiar with MLS, but I understand that ward leadership (callings) are maintain in the ward MLS and are shared over the network with the stake MLS. This sharing should be extended such that the leadership directory on the web site also pulls its data from the same source as MLS.

I think the concept of a collaborative application is what is needed for stake/ward web sites. Think of the benefit overall if users could save drafts of calendar events, news & information, etc., while giving other specific users and/or specific groups (like the Relief Society presidency) read and/or write access on the draft so that they can collaboratively work on schedules, activity reports, etc.

Again, the key is to render external tools unnecessary in the overall maintenance of information intended for public (this is public within the scope of the stake

) consumption.

Tech Forum

Encouraging Members to Use Unit Websites

Notification of enhancements to the Stake/Ward webpages

Encouraging Members to use the Ward Web Site

Calendar User Friendliness

Calendar User Friendliness

User Friendliness