Have you ever wondered how you can get involved with Church technology? We know that many of the visitors to this site have the desire to give of their time and talents. The LDS Technology site now has a wiki that is designed as a gathering place for those who wish to help contribute to Church technology.

There are currently three projects open for collaboration, a HT/VT application, a Church Historical Timeline application, and the eBuilder application. Visit the Community Portal to find out what’s happening on the LDS Tech Wiki.

I am often asked, “What’s it like to work for the Church?”

The short answer is: it is awesome and undoubtedly unlike working anywhere else.

Church employees have the distinctly unique privilege of participating in the Lord’s worldwide work.

Practicing What It Preaches

There are commonalities between the Church as an employer and other organizations. For instance, employees receive a paycheck. Paychecks, however, are not a defining characteristic of Church employment. Consider the following:

• The Church is debt-free.

• Temple worthiness is required for employment.

• There is zero tolerance for pornography.

• Employees are encouraged to participate in civic responsibilities and other wholesome activities.

• Departments have devotionals.

• Weekly enrichment classes are available to review material for upcoming Sunday lessons.

• Employees are expected to seek the Spirit for guidance.

• Work meetings begin with prayer and occasionally include hymns, scriptures, testimony, or other spiritual elements.

• As an employer, the Church utilizes the same scriptural doctrines as revealed in scripture and through modern prophets; there is no double standard.

Things as They Really Are . . . and as They Really Matter

Obviously, walking through the Church Office Building doors will not automatically change someone for the better. What Church employment does provide is ample exposure to the Spirit. Maintaining the Spirit in corporate America is difficult; at the Church, it’s much simpler.

Unity and Individuality

Unity is more easily established between co-workers with similar hopes, aspirations, and experiences. Church employees achieve an amazing degree of unity, yet retain individuality. Both unity and individuality are illustrated by the local sports battles at Church Headquarters. There is wide unity among Church employees that sports are good, but there remains fierce loyalty and individuality. The question remains undecided: Aggies, Cougars, or Utes?

Integrity and Morals

The Church is the only organization that requires temple worthiness for full-time employment. As someone with a mere scintilla of business acumen can attest, employee integrity is paramount to success. History, scriptures, and the media clearly show what happens to financial institutions, businesses, nations, organizations, or individuals without integrity.

Anecdotally, I was briefly perplexed by a Church break room when I was first interviewed. Something was different, but what? Then it registered: there were no coffee machines crowding the walls, no dark stains on the counters, no creamers, no sugars, no little red straws, or other coffee paraphernalia. Coming from the java-guzzling capital of Seattle, some adjustment to non-jittery co-workers was required.

Direction from Church Leadership

We sustain the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators, and we believe that the Lord reveals His will to His prophet. We often see the Brethren and general officers participate in strategic decisions, attend occasional department meetings, chair various groups or committees, and share testimony and witness of the Savior’s divinity.

Financial Security

Tithing expenditures require approval by the Council on the Disposition of the Tithes (see D&C 120:1). Non-tithing expenditures must also be approved by Church officials. Insofar as Latter-day Saints believe individuals to be called of God (see Articles of Faith 1:5), which includes managing director hiring decisions, employees (and Church members in general) have significant security in financial decisions.

Additionally, periodic financial audits occur and provide validation that the Lord’s finances are used appropriately. Despite national or global turmoil, the Church’s programs will continue. Though growth may be slowed by circumstances, the Church will be in continual need of a faithful, skilled workforce.

The Best Part of Church Employment

Participation in more than merely lining shareholders’ pockets is extremely gratifying. Through employees’ contributions, testimonies and the truth of Christ are continually shared with the world. When people ask about my work, it is remarkable to reply that people need what the Church has to offer and that I am a part of making that happen. But the best part is: it feels good.

Josh Smith is a senior infrastructure engineer for the Church.  

Patriarchal blessings have traditionally been preserved on paper and also archived on microfilm. For the past few months, I have had the opportunity to work on a project that leverages the new Church practice of digitizing patriarchal blessings.

Creating and storing digital copies of patriarchal blessings will make it easier and faster for members to access and reprint them. Imagine searching through the millions of blessings that have been given over the years. Even with good organization, finding a specific blessing is time-consuming to say the least.

The first phase of the project was to scan all of the blessings into digital form and to add meta tags. To date, 1.7 million blessings have been scanned out of an estimated 3.6 million.

The second phase of the project implemented a Web application that finds digital blessings. Church History workers will be able to log in to the application, fill out a form with members’ information, and view or print the blessings. This is significantly faster than manually searching for blessings. The application rolled out at the end of September.

The next phase of this project is to provide a Web application for stake patriarchs to digitally submit the blessings they give. The patriarch or scribe will be able to log in to the application and type the member’s blessing directly into the application. The blessing can be saved as a draft and finished later. When the blessing is complete, the patriarch electronically submits it to Church headquarters, and the blessing is then automatically archived to microfilm (because even the best digital storage currently has a relatively short lifespan compared to microfilm).

A bishop or branch president will be able to electronically submit a request for a member to receive a patriarchal blessing. This request will be populated in the patriarch’s application. Stake presidents will also have a separate application to log in and view the activities within their stake. All aspects of this project are expected to be implemented by April of 2009.

This project was developed using the Church’s Java Stack, a framework composed of integrated technologies and utilities. The core technologies include JSF, Facelets, Seam, Acegi, Spring, and JPA. Most Java applications developed at the Church use this framework to maximize developer productivity and aid in application development. Because this is a Web application, very high security measures have been taken; administrators are able to add and remove users, view reports, and audit user activities.

In the future, there are plans to tie this project into LDS.org, allowing members to log in to LDS.org, find blessings that they have access to (see below), and view or print them. This will be faster and more convenient than the current process.

Members have access to, and can request, copies of patriarchal blessings for themselves, their spouse, direct-line descendants, and deceased direct-line ancestors. For information on how to request a patriarchal blessing, visit Patriarchal Blessing Requests. To learn more about what a patriarchal blessing is, visit Gospel Topics: Patriarchal Blessings.

If you have not yet had a patriarchal blessing and would like to find out how to receive one, speak with your bishop or branch president.

Steven Green is an associate engineer for the Church.

If you’ve picked up an IT magazine within the last eight years or so, you’ve probably noticed an advertisement that goes something like this: “The best-run companies run Oracle applications.” I’m glad to be able to report that the Church uses Oracle databases and runs Oracle’s PeopleSoft enterprise applications.

The software applications designed to support accounting, purchasing, payroll, accounts payable, human resources, general ledger, and other business functions are complicated, large, and usually do not require the latest Java or .Net features. These are the applications “that pay the bills.” They are known as enterprise resource planning (ERP) software packages. ERP applications offer multiple integrated modules running in a single database, and they usually offer multiple methods of integrating custom or third-party applications. We use PeopleSoft, which is an ERP recently purchased by Oracle.

PeopleSoft, like all ERP applications, is big and complicated, but the amount of business functionality it delivers out of the box is incredible. For an idea of how complex it is, consider that the Church runs 32 separate modules of PeopleSoft HR/payroll and financials applications in two separate Oracle production instances. The HR/payroll database contains 16,000+ tables, and the financials database has 19,000+ tables. These applications support or interface with just about every single Church software application.

The various PeopleSoft modules are naturally integrated, and PeopleSoft offers a wide range of integration options for third-party or custom applications. We are using these integration tools to help our customers leverage PeopleSoft functionality in some interesting ways. PeopleSoft is unique in the ERP world because it is also an excellent development platform. Leveraging the toolset to customize the application or create new modules is supported and encouraged by the vendor.

Those of us on the PeopleSoft team take great satisfaction in the long track record we have for knowing our customers and their business, and for our expertise in maintaining the Church’s ERP software. The PeopleSoft team is truly an agile development team. In the following examples, I highlight some of strengths of the PeopleSoft software and our team. It is important to note that the ways we use PeopleSoft can be categorized as follows:

1. Expanding the use of delivered PeopleSoft modules
2. Exposing the functionality and business rules through Web services

3. Developing custom modules that leverage the PeopleSoft architecture

Global HR Rollout
Everyone using the same PeopleSoft HR system.

The financial system has been global for several years. Now, we are rolling out the human resource system to all the area offices. This will eliminate redundant systems, provide needed visibility to management, and make it easier for our areas to do their work. There are more opportunities to roll out new PeopleSoft modules and leverage existing modules.

Internet Mission Office System (iMOS)
Web services from PeopleSoft

The iMOS system is going to make working in the mission office much more productive. There are several financial functions that missions need to manage that cannot be done by our accounting team locally. We have teamed up with the Java development team to provide Web services from PeopleSoft Financials, and they have developed a tailored missionary-friendly application that presents a simplified user interface for the mission office end-user. This is a great example of leveraging the complex business rules inherent in PeopleSoft and exposing them to external applications.

Missionary Card
Custom module built in PeopleSoft

Missionaries send their money into the Church accounting system, and then the Treasury Card Services team sends the funds they need to their individual missionary debit cards. This process can get fairly complex with 50,000 missionaries coming and going, lost cards, and each mission’s different country requirements. The original system was a hodgepodge of Fox Pro and MS Access applications that generated an ACH file that loosely integrated with the accounting system. We built this system in PeopleSoft in just a few months. We were able to do it so fast because of the financial nature of the system, the relationship we have with the end-users, the easy fit with our financials applications, and the truly agile way we like to develop software. This was a custom module or “bolt-on” to our PeopleSoft financials database that leverages the infrastructure, the security, and the other related elements of PeopleSoft so that the developers could focus on the new functionality.

Other examples of quick-turnaround, custom bolt-on modules that leverage the PeopleSoft development platform include the Church-Service Missionary, Automated Reward Tool, and the Workforce Planning modules in the HR/payroll database.

Our team mission is to help the Church leverage the investment in PeopleSoft ERP software. There are times PeopleSoft isn’t the right solution. But, when the requirements contain financial or human resource elements, the proposed end-user is already using PeopleSoft, and when the system must interface with PeopleSoft, chances are good that an existing module or a custom-developed PeopleSoft solution may be the best choice.

The business of the Church runs on PeopleSoft, and I enjoy discussing how we can best leverage this ERP software. As a team, we are happy in our supporting role.

Clay Christensen is a development manager for the Church.

I grew up in a home without a dishwasher or microwave. They existed, but my family never bought them. Our source of heat was a wood-burning stove in the middle of the living room, because the electric baseboard heaters were too expensive. Our first computer was purchased when I was in high school, and it ran on MS DOS. I used a typewriter for school reports. Our first video game, given to us as a Christmas gift, was “The Legend of Zelda.” That was the extent of technology in my life, and that was 1992.

Fifteen years later, as a mother of three, my life only remotely resembles my childhood. Besides hustling children to and from school, games, and lessons, cleaning the house, fixing meals, and fulfilling my Church responsibilities, I also find my family life is fully steeped in technology with multiple home computers, cell phones, iPods, Wiis, Tamagotchis, e-commerce, online banking, social networking, e-mail, and family blog sites.

My family is an anomaly, though. Both my husband and I work in the technology industry and follow trends in the market for our employment. There are many times that I wish the Internet was not such an embedded part of our lives and that we could focus more on relationships with our family and neighbors.

As I think of the 25-to-85-year-old women that I know, I’ve realized that very few of them use online technologies that are available for personal consumption. Most women who are not employed outside of the home do not spend much time on a computer. The little time they do use a computer might be on a family blog that they use in place of paper scrapbooking and journaling, or for a family e-mail account that they check a few times a week. Some use the Internet for recipe exchanges, online shopping, support groups, and family history research. In the last few years, I’ve seen more friends enter the social networking world, but typically they are younger than 25 and have fewer time commitments with their young families. Very few of them use mobile phones for online experiences. Most of this information is from personal observation, but research has shown that the typical Generation–Xer (ages 27-40) does not spend as much time on the Internet or use technology such as media players or podcasts, as those who are younger. The percentage of those who use the Internet vs. TV or newspaper and books decreases for older populations. (http://www.frankwbaker.com/mediause.htm) Up until about age 11, most children prefer books, TV, and hands-on toys to computers. (http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=88340) This trend seems to be changing as more children are introduced to computers in school. The typical Internet users who are adopting new technologies appear to be between 11 and 26 years old.

So what are these women doing while I chug away designing Church applications? They’re visiting each other, baking casseroles, giving service, teaching their children, volunteering at schools, improving their personal skills and education, and getting outside; they are having face-to-face experiences with other people and their families. In my high-tech world, my computer has replaced many personal contacts, and I’m secretly jealous of their time to build relationships.

There is a lot we can learn from these women and their freedom from technology.

Offline Time

I’ve found a little secret to gaining some sanity back from my computer: it’s offline time. I learned this from a colleague, and it’s becoming an important part of my routine. One day a week is technology free. I leave my computer turned off. I leave my mobile phone off. As a family, we leave the TV and video games off. Usually this day falls on Sunday, which has helped me observe better Sabbath day behavior. I’m also carrying this policy over to my meetings during work—I turn off my laptop and phone. The first time I tried this, I discovered there were only two people in the room not working on their laptops—the presenter and myself. It is amazing how many people miss important decisions when they aren’t giving their full attention. I’ve decided that, if I want to be effective in meetings and speak up about decisions, I need to keep my laptop closed.

Getting Back to Family

The second part of my effort to gain freedom from technology is to spend quality time with my family. We turn the TV off, put away the Wii remotes, and do something together that requires me to look at my children and husband. My children love to play board games, go on hikes, and play outside. When I come home, it is tempting to get back on my computer after dinner to finish up an assignment. Last month, I made a commitment not to do this. Instead, I give my time back to my family. I have time to go outside and enjoy the neighborhood.

Using Time Wisely

When I do use the computer, especially when I’m on the Internet, I’ve tried to be more efficient and not spend hours surfing. I make a task list and stick to it. My projects take less time, and I can turn off the computer when it’s family time.

Designing Technology with Caution

My job is to design user interfaces and create user experiences with technology. The impact that my designs have on someone’s ability to work can be both good and bad.

- John Dilworth, design education manager, LDS Church

As we enjoy how the advances of technology globally connect the Church and spread the gospel, we also need to consider the responsibilities that go with these new inventions. It is easy to become self-absorbed and “hooked” on the computer, listening to music, surfing the Web, and generally wasting time. To gain our freedom back, we need to moderate our use of technology and make an effort to spend time with our families and loved ones.

Emmy Southworth is a senior interaction designer for the Church.

This article is a follow up to “People, Processes, and Performance Tools Pt. 1,” published September 18, which details the six-phase process used at the Church to improve processes.

The following example is an illustration of how this approach is currently being successfully implemented. There is a project that the ICS Department is currently working on with the Family and Church History Department. During the PTS “identify” phase, it was determined that an integrated cataloging system (a tools solution) was needed in which multiple systems could communicate together to more effectively manage the operations in the department. Early on, a member of the process improvement team was brought in to review the department’s processes.

Process Improvement Team “Define” Stage
Investigating and defining issues and problems

During the process improvement phase of defining the process, considerable time was taken to identify current processes. Initially, this was accomplished through interviews with key personnel throughout the process. This included management, staff, and missionaries.

We also identified the vision, mission, and objectives of the Family and Church History Department. Some of these were identified as:

Family and Church History Department Vision:

• Help members make and keep sacred covenants
• Turn hearts
• Experience our heritage
  

Collections Development, the initial operations group in the department, has a vision to keep the Church history collections relevant by ensuring that they contain:

• Records that help ensure remembrance of the great things of God

• Records that help preserve the revealed order of the kingdom of God

• Records that support the creation of products and services that witness to and defend the truth of the Restoration of the gospel in this dispensation

We also identified core customers of the Family and Church History Department, which included priesthood leaders, family historians, parents, and students.

We additionally looked at the vision for the new integrated catalog being developed—which is to enable the effective submission, discovery, and delivery of Church information and historical assets worldwide.

Once current processes were identified, a meeting was set up that helped us identify key process problem areas within the collections area in the Family and Church History Department. We utilized a process improvement tool known as an “affinity diagram” to accomplish this. The results of the affinity diagram identified four core problem areas to focus on.

The group then split into smaller groups, each focusing on one of the four core problem areas identified, and completed a cause and effect diagram. The cause and effect diagram identified potential causes of each of these four problem areas.

In a follow-up session with a smaller core group from collections, we prioritized each of the causes listed to determine areas to focus on for improvement. We also identified that each of the causes listed fell into two general categories:

    1.  A need for standard operating procedures (SOP's)
    2.  A need for a formal training program for both staff and missionaries

It is important to note that both SOP’s and training are people issues that need to be addressed before implementing technology solutions.

Through further investigation, utilizing the “5 why’s” process improvement tool, we were able to determine that one reason there are not SOP’s or a formal training plan already in place is because some of the processes are not working effectively and the right processes have not been identified for implementation. It is interesting to note that this is a process issue that needs to be addressed before implementation of technology solutions.

It was determined that we would first look at the operations processes, then implement SOP’s, followed by a formal training program.

Process Improvement Team "Measure" Stage
Defining “as-is” state and identifying poor performance causal factors

During the measure stage, we looked specifically at the processes to determine process effectiveness by measuring key processes.

One of the processes measured was the process of determining if material contains sacred, private, or confidential information. It was determined that there is a backlog on information waiting to go through this process. This was a backlog on 1,933 items. Over the last year, there were 2,792 items cataloged or made available for customers to view

Over the last year, there were approximately 53,858 items requested from the archive. Of these items requested, approximately 14,513, or 27.1%, were requested by patrons. The rest were requests from staff, missionaries, or Church employees working with specific collections.

There are approximately 10,361,635 items cataloged and stored in the Church archive.

Process Improvement Team “Analyze” Stage
Analyze and develop a list of probable causal factors

It was determined that some of the key process bottlenecks include:

• Backlog of cagtaloging

• Backlog on SPC review

• Backlog on oral histories
  

Process Improvement Team “Improve” Stage
Develop a list of critical causal factors and develop strategy for improvement

The improvement team determined that the following would be used to address the three identified improvements needed:

1. Backlog of cataloging – Move to a demand system in which items will not initially be cataloged. Items will be cataloged following requests from patrons or customers. If all customer requests have been cataloged, additional items will be cataloged based on priorities set by the department.
2. Backlog on SPC review – A simplified SPC review based on an initial risk assessment of materials will be implemented to reduce the backlog. This is set to substantially reduce the backlog for SPC.
3. Backlog on oral histories – Oral histories will be copied to CDs, indexed, and then made available in this format or electronically. Transcripts will not be completed unless requested by a customer.

We are currently in the process of approvals of these recommended improvements. Note that these improvements all fall under improvements of process. The SOP’s and training program that will follow fall under people improvements. Once these improvements are made, the ICS core project team will be able to implement the technology tools solution with better results than would have otherwise been achieved.

Once the "improve" stage is completed, the process improvement team will continue with the "implement" and "sustain" phases, which include the following:

• Process Improvement Team Improve Stage - Baseline new process capability and develop controls for sustained performance

• Process Improvement Team Implement Stage – Develop and launch implementation plan

Through this full process, the process improvement team will have:

    1.  Identified and measured current processes
    2.  Identified opportunities

    3.  Determined if the opportunities are people, process, or technical tool opportunities
    4.  Developed a strategy for improvement(s)

    5.  Implemented the improvement(s)
    6.  Set controls in place to sustain the gain

By identifying people, process, and tool opportunities in a balanced way, the chances for long-term sustained improvement by our customers is increased. The benefits are:

• Reduced costs

• Improved cycle time (fast and on time)

• Improved quality

• Reduced risk

These are benefits all organizations hope to achieve.

Steven Peel is a Business Process Manager for the Church.