You are invited to participate in the inaugural streamed broadcast and interactive tech talk hosted by the ICS Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on August 28th at 7:00 p.m. mountain daylight time (MDT).

During the stream, you have the opportunity to interact in a webinar. 
In order to participate while watching the online tech talk, you must also register.

Here are a few aspects of the tech talk you can look forward to:

Ask a Question
    
Have a question about Church technology you’ve been wanting to ask? Now is the time. At the first global tech talk, Joel Dehlin, Chief Information Officer for the Church, will speak in more detail about the purpose of tech talks and the vision for them. He will answer your questions on technology at the Church in real time. You may also submit your questions and comments before the event by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or posting in the forum.

The 2008 LDS Tech Awards

The nomination period for the LDS Tech Awards is over. To find out who won, join us in this exciting first online tech talk. The winner will be announced and honored at that time. This information will also be posted on the site shortly after the event. Thank you for all of the great nominations!

Shape and Discuss the Future of Online Tech Talks

We are open to everything from branding and marketing concepts (including names and logos), to format and frequency options, to future discussion topics and ideas. Please visit the forum to provide input and feedback.

*Note: the stream will be in windows media format. You may need to install a plugin to view the event. 

You are invited to participate in the first-ever streamed broadcast and interactive tech talk hosted by the ICS Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on August 28th at 7:00 p.m. mountain daylight time (MDT).

Previously, tech talks were held regionally in various locations across the United States to communicate Church technology projects and needs. We are ready to expand those tech talks to reach a global audience simultaneously.

In addition to providing real-time interaction, this event will be archived at LDS Tech for additional viewings. We hope that this becomes the first of many global tech talks.

As this concept is still a work in progress, you have the opportunity to help the Church mold the best possible experience. We are open to everything from branding and marketing concepts (including names and logos), to format and frequency options, to future discussion topics and ideas.

At the first global tech talk, to be held on August 28th at 7:00 p.m. mountain daylight time (MDT), Joel Dehlin, Chief Information Officer for the Church, will speak in more detail about the purpose of tech talks and the vision for them. He will also answer in real time your questions on technology at the Church.

Visit this page again in the week prior to the first tech talk for information on how to register for this event.

Visit the forum to discuss this event or submit your questions early.

“Clearly one of the central skills in design is the ability to rapidly become fascinated by problems previously unheard of.” Bryan Lawson

In his book How Designers Think, Bryan Lawson puts many of the problems and experiences involved with design to words in one of the best fashions I’ve read. While the book is written from a mostly architectural design perspective, Lawson’s conclusions are relevant to all disciplines of design. Both architects and interaction designers deal with many constraints that require deep analysis to design. Both strive to deliver solutions.

Lawson describes design as a “negotiation between problem and solution through the activities of analysis, synthesis and evaluation.” As a team of interaction designers at the Church, we strive to provide solutions and experiences to the user that are conducive to the building the kingdom of God. This book conceptualizes many of the problems we face, approaches in providing solutions, and the process of design.
Here are a few excerpted highlights from the book and insights from a design perspective here at the Church.

Design problems cannot be comprehensively stated

It is never possible to be sure when all aspects of the [design] problem have emerged. . . . In fact both objectives and priorities are quite likely to change during the design process as the solution implications begin to emerge.

In our organization we are faced with many constraints due to the breadth of the Church, importance of the work, and other factors. Design problems we face range from cross-browser compatibility to the need to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to extremely remote corners of the earth. As a designer, there is an inherent challenge in providing a solution that solves the problem without creating more problems.

There are no optimal design solutions

Design almost invariably involves compromise. . . . There are no established methods for deciding just how good or bad solutions are, and still the best test of most design is to wait and see how well it works in practice. Design solutions can never be perfect and are often more easily criticized than created, and designers must accept that they will almost invariably appear wrong in some ways to some people.

In his talk “Channeling Your Creativity,” Elder Hales teaches how the Lord let the brother of Jared solve the problem of supplying light with his own creative solution. His options were limited, as ours so often are, when he was told that he couldn’t use windows of fire. Elder Hales states, “I’m sure there could have been other acceptable solutions to the same need for light. . . . But the brother of Jared decided to use rocks, and the Lord accepted his solution.”

Like the brother of Jared, we realize that the Lord is not as concerned with the specific solution we create as He is that the solution furthers His work.

The process involves finding as well as solving problems

It is clear from our analysis of the nature of design problems that the designer must inevitably expend considerable energy in identifying the problems. It is central to modern thinking about design that problems and solutions are seen as emerging together, rather than one following logically upon the other. . . . Both problem and solution become clearer as the process goes on.

Part of our role as interaction designers is analysis and requirement gathering to ensure that what we are building matches the needs before we begin creating a solution. Often we find that the problem initially described is only the beginning of a series of problems or completely different than the real problem. As we realize the problem(s) we are truly addressing, we are better capable of formulating options to solve it. Experience has proven that time spent early in a project making sure that we are building a product that meets the user’s needs not only saves time and money but ensures success upon delivery.

Design is a prescriptive activity

[D]esign is essentially prescriptive whereas science is predominantly descriptive. Designers do not aim to deal with questions of what is, how and why, but, rather, with what might be, could be and should be. While scientists may help us to understand the present and predict the future, designers may be seen to prescribe and to create the future, and thus their process deserves not just ethical but also moral scrutiny.

“Creativity, therefore, is not simply innovation but organization. . . . Gospel gladness can give us a precious perspective about all these things and can spur us on to share that beauty which our Father in Heaven helps us to create” (Neal A. Maxwell, “The Message: Start Making Chips”).

As we strive to lead and design by the Spirit we can be inspired with what we could create and how users can benefit.

This book’s unique viewpoint offers poignant conclusions and many insightful moments and would make a great addition to any designer’s bookshelf.

Michelle Barber is an interaction designer for the Church.

Changing e-mail systems in any organization can be a daunting challenge. Recently, the Church switched worldwide from Novell GroupWise to Microsoft Outlook. One hundred twenty-five servers throughout the world were consolidated to just four dedicated servers in the Provo data center. The enormity of the migration is reflected in the following statistics about the rollover:

• Data Migrated: 1.4 terabytes
• Items Moved: 20 million +
• Mailboxes Moved: 15,000
• Users Moved: 10,130

In addition to the technical challenges presented by the transition, a large amount of training and preparation work was done in order to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Earlier this year, the Church upgraded from Microsoft Office 2003 to Microsoft Office 2007. To assist in the upgrade, Microsoft provided an assistive tool that illustrated how to perform an action in Office 2008 when it was performed in Office 2003. A similar tool, called the GroupWise to Outlook Interactive Guide, was created by the Church for the GroupWise-to-Microsoft transition. This tool displayed a GroupWise interface that could then display an action’s equivalent in Microsoft Outlook.

In a typical transition to Outlook, the predicted increase in calls to the support group of an organization is four times the regular volume of calls. The following things were done to minimize the impact on the help desk:

• Training tips and presentations were provided at Church headquarters and online prior to the transition.

• The support staff at the Church began using Microsoft Outlook two months before the rest of the organization changed over—in order to become very familiar with the product.

• All of the General Authorities were moved in a beta group a day before the rest of the organization.

• Additional support teams were created from non-support employees. Product champions were given advanced training beforehand, and they then provided support within their own departments. Roaming the floors and halls of Church campus, a small army of 60 technical support volunteers offered assistance and distributed a disc with support documentation and common issues and resolutions.

• An internal Microsoft Outlook support forum was created. It was staffed 24/7. In most cases, questions were answered within 30 minutes. An additional site was created exclusively for the support staff and volunteers to find more in-depth information.

Remote locations had more difficulties making a smooth transition. Slower connections and shifting business processes presented challenges that took more time to overcome than expected.

 Most of the feedback has been positive. Instead of the estimated 4,000 additional calls, the help desk received only 2,200. The transition from Novell GroupWise to Microsoft Outlook has been considered very successful.

Today, more than ever before, an organization’s or individual’s level of success often depends on how well they deliver customer service. However, what does delivering customer service mean? Many people would quickly respond by saying, “Giving the customer what they want,” while others may say, “Giving the customer what they want and when they want it.” I would like to suggest that neither of the above represents the most appropriate response. The purpose of this topic is to explore one of the greatest challenges my teams face in delivering world-class, high-quality technology solutions to our customers fast and on time. Three customer service core elements will be discussed: customer wants, customer needs, and understanding related business processes.

Customer Wants

The first element, customer wants, is often the easiest to identify and comes in large quantities. However, customer needs are often the hardest to clearly define, can only be expressed in generalities, and are further compounded by customer emotions. We’ve all been with customers who are so excited to tell us everything they want. We often find ourselves responding by feverishly documenting every want and considering each item as a critical requirement to the success of the project. Of course, the customer picks up on this fact and instantly we have set the customer’s expectation that we are going to deliver every single want. Bang! We have just been ensnared in the customer’s want trap. Without exception, it is never appropriate to deliver customer wants. Why? Because customer wants are not real deliverables until they can be defined as customer needs.

Customer Needs

The second element, customer needs, is what I refer to as the meat and potatoes of customer service. This is the IT professional’s chance to either establish a solid foundation for customer service or begin building the house on sand. Defining customer needs begins with helping the customer appreciate each individual need as an actual need and not just a want. However, there is a trap here too. Customers may prefer not to make the need- versus-want decision, instead offering that decision to the IT professional. We must do whatever it takes to help the customer understand that is their decision. If we get caught in the trap and define their needs, we are almost certain to pay a negative price because when we’re wrong, the customer will say they were only responding to our recommendation. However, a solid delivery of this element of customer service often results in the significant strengthening of the customer’s trust and confidence in our ability to deliver what they need. Having a solid understanding of the customer’s needs is enough, right? The simple answer is no. Defining and understanding customer needs has to be matched with understanding the business processes that they will support.

Business Processes

The final element, understanding related business processes, is the crown jewel of customer service. Why? Because if we understand the underlying business processes that our technology solutions support, we can understand how best to develop the technology solutions to support both current and future business needs. However, there is a trap with this element too: understanding business processes is not a single event in time. Business processes continue to evolve to support the ever-changing business environment. Therefore, IT professionals must continue to be aware of current and future changes to business processes by maintaining solid communication with the customer long after the initial solution has been delivered. The perception by the customer is that they have formed such a strong relationship with IT that IT delivers solutions that will meet their current and future needs.

The core elements discussed above, if well understood, can provide the IT professional with a solid approach to creating and maintaining effective customer service. However, they should never be applied alone but should be applied with honesty, integrity, and sincerity as we work together with our customers to make our organization stronger for the future.

Rick Velasquez is a lead project manager for the Church.

One of the most important aspects of continuing to build a strong I.T. group at the Church is finding quality, talented employees.

Recently, brochures containing employment information with the Church’s Information and Communications Systems (ICS) Department were sent to LDS employment centers nationwide. LDS employment centers assist people in finding meaningful employment. They assist people in building the skills needed for a successful job search and in finding jobs. To contact an employment specialist, send an e-mail by using the Employment Specialist Contact Form or find your local Employment Resource Service Center.

If you or someone you know is interested in I.T. employment with the Church, we encourage you to download the printable PDF version of the LDS Tech employment and LDS Tech intern brochures and share them.