[CS-FSLUG] CHADDB-Ekklesia Usability Question (WAS no subject)

[evangelinux at matheteuo.org]

---------- Original Message -------------
Subject: [CS-FSLUG] (no subject)
Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2005 05:16:20 -0000
From: "evangelinux at matheteuo.org" <evangelinux at matheteuo.org>
To: "CS-FSLUG" <Christiansource at ofb.biz>,
	"Linux4Christians List" <linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net>


As some of you know, I am working on a console-based front-end to CHADDB using Python.  The GUI version will come later, but for now, I'm making great strides with this front-end, which I am calling "Ekklesia".  I know that console apps are not considered by many to be "slick" and other adejectives referring to the coolness of a program.  Nevertheless, from a usability standpoint, I hope you folks will add your opinions.

The way I designed CHADDB, when you add a person to the database, it doesn't really matter whether they are a member, a first-time visitor, or a vendor.  They are simply a person in the database.  Every person belongs to an entity (ENTITY table), either a family, vendor, or external ministry partner.  Their affiliation with the church is determined by means of the AFFILIATION table.  This table also tracks the role of that person within their entity.  This design approach is not necessarily unique, but does allow for tremendous flexibility.

As I design the form to add a person, I need to make a choice in how to enter a new member or visitor, as opposed to a vendor or external ministry partner.  My initial plan was to offer a single form, which presents the same 40-ish fields, regardless of who you are entering.  However, this could be kind of confusing, as your secretary may try to enter the Baptism date of your janitorial vendor.  

I believe I should use one form for members and visitors, which generally have similar info requirements, as far as church admin is concerned.  Most of the first-time visitor cards I've seen look similar to the new member cards.  The same could be applied with vendors and external ministry partners.  Again, you mostly need the organization's name and point of contact info.  However, you wouldn't need the baptism date and the pastor of another congregation might not see the humor in being assigned to one of your church's deacons. ;)

Adding the members of a family together is another trick.  With the form being 40-ish questions, users may feel a bit overwhelmed trying to add the whole family in one screen.  On the other hand, I could add an option to add additional persons under the same family on a second screen.  That second screen could eliminate the address, e-mail & phone # fields, and probably the assigned deacon/elder fields, since the family likely lives under the same roof.  If they don't, you just have to update the individual records later.  All the fields specific to the person would be available for answering.

The best I can do to paint a visual picture in this e-mail is:
Main Menu --> People --> Add Person --> choose entity type
For Members/Visitors --> screen #1 (40 Questions) --> screen #2 (additional members of family)
For Vendors/Partners --> Organization Name & Point of Contact info

Does anyone need a hardcopy report showing each family added (for putting in the family's file)?  Or would you be o.k. with just a listing of members grouped by family?  If you need the former, I could add an option to print out the data entered for a family as you finish up.  Otherwise, I'll just include a standard report showing members grouped by family name (in this case, the entity_id field).

If you think I'm on the right track, let me know.  If you think I'm barking up the wrong tree, well, that'll be good to know also.  Also, it would be good to know if anyone would be willing, when the time comes, to help out with package management for various distros (RPM, APT).

Blessings,
Don

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