Comments on: Search for the ideal church database (part 3) http://www.communicatejesus.com/2009/07/search-for-the-ideal-church-database-part-3/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Steve http://www.communicatejesus.com/2009/07/search-for-the-ideal-church-database-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1211 Steve Sat, 08 Aug 2009 13:36:50 +0000 http://communicatejesus.com/?p=2000#comment-1211 Hey Steve, You never got back to me. we are running thru implementation at the moment. If I can help at all only glad to help! Hey Steve,

You never got back to me. we are running thru implementation at the moment.

If I can help at all only glad to help!

]]> By: Ben http://www.communicatejesus.com/2009/07/search-for-the-ideal-church-database-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1115 Ben Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:47:01 +0000 http://communicatejesus.com/?p=2000#comment-1115 <i>… doing a fully automated check-in system on 100% mac clients. We did some work to make this happen with Arena, but this saved us a huge amount of time by not having to maintain 16 windows workstations for check-in. I don’t have the IT staff for that.</i> Sn-ap. … doing a fully automated check-in system on 100% mac clients. We did some work to make this happen with Arena, but this saved us a huge amount of time by not having to maintain 16 windows workstations for check-in. I don’t have the IT staff for that.

Sn-ap.

]]> By: Joel Lingenfelter http://www.communicatejesus.com/2009/07/search-for-the-ideal-church-database-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1114 Joel Lingenfelter Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:29:17 +0000 http://communicatejesus.com/?p=2000#comment-1114 Hey Steve, Nice to see someone else working through this process. For those following along if you haven't seen my blog on this process, it's available at transformingrenewal.blogspot.com. Our final choice was Arena, what we felt was a perfect blend of web based and having control of our own data. We've been working hard to fully implement everything we want to run and have been very pleased. I'm not positive of this, but we may be the only church in america doing a fully automated check-in system on 100% mac clients. We did some work to make this happen with Arena, but this saved us a huge amount of time by not having to maintain 16 windows workstations for check-in. I don't have the IT staff for that. Keep investigating and find what is the right solution for your church, and let us know what you chose and why! Joel Hey Steve,

Nice to see someone else working through this process. For those following along if you haven’t seen my blog on this process, it’s available at transformingrenewal.blogspot.com.

Our final choice was Arena, what we felt was a perfect blend of web based and having control of our own data. We’ve been working hard to fully implement everything we want to run and have been very pleased. I’m not positive of this, but we may be the only church in america doing a fully automated check-in system on 100% mac clients. We did some work to make this happen with Arena, but this saved us a huge amount of time by not having to maintain 16 windows workstations for check-in. I don’t have the IT staff for that.

Keep investigating and find what is the right solution for your church, and let us know what you chose and why!

Joel

]]> By: Toby Sterrett http://www.communicatejesus.com/2009/07/search-for-the-ideal-church-database-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1112 Toby Sterrett Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:51:02 +0000 http://communicatejesus.com/?p=2000#comment-1112 Thanks for the kind words Steve! Of course, I'm sad to hear that you're going to be deciding on a new system, but hopefully the new things that are being worked on for the next version will address most of the things that you're looking for. If you'd like to check out the beta versions when they're ready to go, please don't hesitate to let me know, I'd love to get your feedback. Also, if there are specific things about Stafftool that you'd like to see different that made you come to this decision, I'd love to hear. Thanks for the kind words Steve! Of course, I’m sad to hear that you’re going to be deciding on a new system, but hopefully the new things that are being worked on for the next version will address most of the things that you’re looking for. If you’d like to check out the beta versions when they’re ready to go, please don’t hesitate to let me know, I’d love to get your feedback. Also, if there are specific things about Stafftool that you’d like to see different that made you come to this decision, I’d love to hear.

]]> By: » Search for the ideal church database (part 3) | Communicate Jesus » Free Software http://www.communicatejesus.com/2009/07/search-for-the-ideal-church-database-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1110 » Search for the ideal church database (part 3) | Communicate Jesus » Free Software Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:00:00 +0000 http://communicatejesus.com/?p=2000#comment-1110 [...] news by Steven Kryger Firefox 3 Hug Day (for Ubuntu) [...] [...] news by Steven Kryger Firefox 3 Hug Day (for Ubuntu) [...]

]]> By: Ben Hudson http://www.communicatejesus.com/2009/07/search-for-the-ideal-church-database-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1109 Ben Hudson Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:28:04 +0000 http://communicatejesus.com/?p=2000#comment-1109 Hey Steve, I'd add excellent interface usability (and even aesthetics) pretty high on my list. The reason being that in my experience getting people to use these things regularly and consistently is hard. Any excuse seems to be enough to prevent some people from logging in and entering data. If you feel like the software is working for you rather than against you it makes a huge difference to your motivation levels. Can't wait to hear your results Hey Steve,

I’d add excellent interface usability (and even aesthetics) pretty high on my list. The reason being that in my experience getting people to use these things regularly and consistently is hard. Any excuse seems to be enough to prevent some people from logging in and entering data.

If you feel like the software is working for you rather than against you it makes a huge difference to your motivation levels.

Can’t wait to hear your results

]]> By: Steven Kryger http://www.communicatejesus.com/2009/07/search-for-the-ideal-church-database-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1108 Steven Kryger Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:56:07 +0000 http://communicatejesus.com/?p=2000#comment-1108 Hi Toby, I've been very encouraged by your willingness to receive feedback, and implement this feedback into on-going improvements with Stafftool. Readers - my church currently uses Stafftool. Your support and willingness to adopt suggestions is great. Also exciting to hear of the plans you have for continuiing to develop Stafftool. Hi Toby, I’ve been very encouraged by your willingness to receive feedback, and implement this feedback into on-going improvements with Stafftool. Readers – my church currently uses Stafftool. Your support and willingness to adopt suggestions is great. Also exciting to hear of the plans you have for continuiing to develop Stafftool.

]]> By: Steven Kryger http://www.communicatejesus.com/2009/07/search-for-the-ideal-church-database-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1107 Steven Kryger Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:54:14 +0000 http://communicatejesus.com/?p=2000#comment-1107 Thanks Ben - there's another post on its way tomorrow. I'm deciding on a new database for my church this week, so the testing has really ramped up! On the subject of interior design, I think our churches could really tap into the aesthetic skills our church members have. At the Saturday night service at my church, we've spent time (admittedly, more time when we launched the service than we have recently) thinking about how we can make the inside of our building appealing (or at the very least, not off-putting or intimidating for new people). For the upcoming Worthy worship night, we're doing more thinking along these lines. Thanks Ben – there’s another post on its way tomorrow. I’m deciding on a new database for my church this week, so the testing has really ramped up!

On the subject of interior design, I think our churches could really tap into the aesthetic skills our church members have. At the Saturday night service at my church, we’ve spent time (admittedly, more time when we launched the service than we have recently) thinking about how we can make the inside of our building appealing (or at the very least, not off-putting or intimidating for new people). For the upcoming Worthy worship night, we’re doing more thinking along these lines.

]]> By: Toby Sterrett http://www.communicatejesus.com/2009/07/search-for-the-ideal-church-database-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1105 Toby Sterrett Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:28:34 +0000 http://communicatejesus.com/?p=2000#comment-1105 This is an awesome series Steve, definitely appreciated. For me personally, it really helps to see what Stafftool is doing right currently, and where things need to go in the future as the next version is being built out. I'm happy to see that much of your list is already covered, and a lot of the main things being worked on for the new version are as well are also listed (individual attendance, reminder notifications, assignable tasks to have others follow up with people, better printing (PDF), etc). One area that I'm wondering about is more involvement from the congregation itself... things like providing a place for small groups members to communicate with each other, plan events, post documents, etc. Is that something you'd see useful to provide to everyone in your church? Keep up the great work, hope to see more on this subject! This is an awesome series Steve, definitely appreciated. For me personally, it really helps to see what Stafftool is doing right currently, and where things need to go in the future as the next version is being built out. I’m happy to see that much of your list is already covered, and a lot of the main things being worked on for the new version are as well are also listed (individual attendance, reminder notifications, assignable tasks to have others follow up with people, better printing (PDF), etc).

One area that I’m wondering about is more involvement from the congregation itself… things like providing a place for small groups members to communicate with each other, plan events, post documents, etc. Is that something you’d see useful to provide to everyone in your church?

Keep up the great work, hope to see more on this subject!

]]> By: Ben http://www.communicatejesus.com/2009/07/search-for-the-ideal-church-database-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1102 Ben Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:36:28 +0000 http://communicatejesus.com/?p=2000#comment-1102 This is great, Steve. Thankyou. I look forward to seeing the results of your survey of options (which I assume is still ongoing). The best thing you did was list "interior design" as a potential gift of a congregation member. Could there be a gift less likely to be acknowledged as such by utilitarian Sydney Anglicans than interior design? This is great, Steve. Thankyou. I look forward to seeing the results of your survey of options (which I assume is still ongoing).

The best thing you did was list “interior design” as a potential gift of a congregation member. Could there be a gift less likely to be acknowledged as such by utilitarian Sydney Anglicans than interior design?

]]>