MEMORANDUM
July 29, 2005 (Draft Only - For Discussion)
RE: BYC Roster – Future Goals & Efforts
PURPOSE:
First, to extend my thanks and admiration to those whose efforts yielded such a great 2005 Membership Directory. I spoke with Mark Salmon to express these thoughts and to volunteer to help in the future, which prompted my current involvement. This is a great tool for all of us but especially the new members. Having pictures is so valuable.
The purpose of the discussion below is to identify the goals for future rosters, and to seek simplification to the process. The 2005 Roster is a great product, but my understanding is that it came at the cost of a brutal and time consuming ordeal (see Mark's narrative). The time consumption was high in actual working hours but also in the period of time required to complete the project; delays in the latter caused increases in the former due to ongoing changes and additions to the information – a moving target.
It seems that we have an opportunity to jump in and take advantage of the current high accuracy of the member information, and also learn from the recent process while it is still fresh in peoples’ minds, and while the learning curve is shallow.
On the other hand, now that we have the Roster, will the motivation to take the next steps diminish?
This memorandum can be edited periodically to reflect the progress of the group.
OVERVIEW:
We may be able to solve many of the collation and printing challenges by implementing one or more computerized formats: (1) publish to the website, and (2) publish in PDF format for email distribution (sample). We could print the PDF files to hard copy for members without computer capacities.
I would anticipate privacy concerns with online publishing, but these may be mitigated by passwords and other security techniques.
We should develop a uniform and accurate system of database records from which we can draw the membership data in the future, this is substantially present in the work product from the 2005 Roster. It makes sense to start this process as soon as possible while our data is fresh and reasonably accurate. Along with this we should try to get photographs for 100% of the membership.
GOALS:
What is the goal date for the next Roster? And what will be the frequency thereafter? Do we want to put it online? Do we need to print it or send it to members as a PDF file etc.? Could we do the above and print a few copies in-house and mail these as requested. Note that PDF delivery allows the option of color for no extra cost.
If we assume a goal of 100% pictures we will achieve a maximum of 3 member records per column thus nine per page with the current (and only really practical) page size, font size, and minimum picture size. This is if our printed information about each membership record does not grow substantially. I’m not sure that some of the larger records, as now presented, would fit three per column as some people list so many contact options, and the average is likely to grow with time in the age of communication. Could we limit and standardize this information to streamline maintenance?
Assuming 300 records (270 plus recent growth) with a goal of 9 records per page (100% photos) we will need 34 pages for the actual roster. We used 25 pages in the 2005 roster with roughly 60% of the records containing pictures. There were 40 pages total including the advertising; this might expand but not likely by much. I would expect the next volume to be in the 50 page range.
STANDARDS:
For an annual publication, does this need a semi-hard cover? Color? Could it be double sided 8 ½ X 11 and spiral bound? These might increase the printing cost per page, but reduce the coordination of planning for non-contiguous pages that are printed on the same sheet (four pages per). A standard database such as Microsoft Access might facilitate automated page formatting without using sophisticated software. We might see a net price reduction by moving the printing to a Kinkos or Copymat. This also opens the door for printing on the fly as more are needed, or distributing the Roster in PDF for people to print themselves, or just reference on their home computers.
Is it critical that the pictures all have the same background or photographer? Can we use pictures submitted by the members? There are great resources for improving mediocre photos (Photo Shop etc.) Could we make some short-term compromises, but work toward consistency over time? Do pictures become stale with time? Is this important? Should the onus for updating the photos be that of the club or the members?
PROCEDURES:
We are blending together pictures and words on a page. Instinctively this is at minimum the joining and collating of two media onto a page. However, can technology offer us a common storage facility which can deliver to the print-process these two media already combined into one? How can we make this a very flexible process, which does not require tremendous training and specialized tools?
Our core source of membership information seems to be the accounting system which is stored in the Peach Tree software system, and maintained by Debbie. In essence any accounting system is a specialized database. Digital pictures residing on a member’s hard drive represent a database as well; however, there is no common ground to automatically cross reference or collate between the two. A third source of data is that which is desired in the end product, but can not be stored practically or actually in Peach Tree. What are those items?
Maintenance of data can be time consuming, and entering information to multiple bases every time there is a change can be overwhelming, and a source for divergence among the databases. However, it is not necessary to keep all information in one database. But, it is desirable not to have redundant data residing on several bases (see database structure).
I think that ongoing efforts should be made to keep the accounting database up to date. I think the first step should be to verify that the Peach Tree system is accurate. To that end we should:
1. Encourage members to review their information in the 2005 Roster and give us feedback on problems using an online form. We could distribute a request through the Yahoo Group. It makes sense to get requests out before these Rosters start ending up buried in drawers etc.
2. Then we (volunteers) should correct the database from which the Roster was compiled.
3. Then ask Debbie to generate an Excel version of her Peach Tree data so we (volunteers) can compare the corrected database to the Peach Tree Database. This can probably be done in the computer at least semi-automated.
4. The last step is to give Debbie the proposed changes in a format which makes it easy for her to perform the data entry (i.e., typed, in the order of data entry, reasonable font size).
Linked Data Bases
Most database programs will allow data to be drawn from multiple databases to generate one output result. The critical component is having one common field (key field) among the databases, this is frequently a SS number as they are theoretically unique in both directions. However we probably don’t keep these data. Do we have a unique membership or billing number?
Consistency of Fields and the Record’s Length
How can we standardize the printed output so that the data storage is consistent, and the data entry can be minimized? At which point in printing length of each member’s record do we exceed a goal of 3 membership records per printed column? A few large blanks will look odd, a lot will be expensive.
There is inconsistency in the data fields in the current records, which is a necessary evil to an extent. We have some records with only one phone number others that go as high as four phone numbers and some with two emails. I didn’t see a combination resulting in 6 contacts, but what should be the maximum allowed? I can see value in multiple contacts, but for a two person record, with one home phone, two works, two cells and two emails we have a potential for 7 contact lines.
We could design a database with 5 contact fields each with a description field, with the description options of: home, first name A, first name B, FAX, E (mail). This gives people the option of being contacted five ways which should be sufficient. The description datum would print in front of the contact datum on each line, but blank description fields would not take up space. This would allow flexibility so that the 5 fields could display various types of phone numbers and emails. Because some emails are very long, we should not attempt to print description fields in front of them.
The Access database is included with Microsoft Office which is a common package. With a $99 software ad-on http://www.ammara.com/start/office.html, we can apparently store the pictures "seamlessly" in a MS Access database (need to evaluate). This product is referenced through MS Access help. Does this make it MS approved?
EXAMPLES OF PROPOSED OUTPUT
Kevin & Renee Murray
Done Deal (Catalina 380)
PO Box 4482
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Home: (925) 229-1909
Cell Renee (925) 200-4515
Work Kevin (925) 279-1190
kevinmurray@sbcglobal.net
reneemurrray1655@sbcglobal.net
Sample 2006 Roster Page in PDF
EXAMPLE OF PROPOSED INPUT SCREEN
EXAMPLE OF PROPOSED INPUT & STORAGE CRITERIA
Link Chart
EXAMPLE OF PROPOSED DATABASE STRUCTURE
Link Chart of Databases and Fields
LOGISTICS
How can we break-up the tasks so that the burden falls less on the few, and especially on those few who are already among the greatest contributors to the club.
The technology to produce a viable product may be available in software as simple as Microsoft Word. The labels module within the mail merge generates perfectly formatted page output specific enough to place the information on pre-cut laser label sheets, in the order selected from a data base which can reside on something as simple as an Excel spreadsheet. The question would be whether the photos could be mail merged onto the page in an integrated process.
BUDGETING
Which comes first the chicken or the egg? Of course the costs will be affected by the course we choose in terms of print, online, methods of distribution, frequency, etc. But if we have few funds to invest in this, perhaps the funds will dictate the product. Practically, frequency will become a function of cost.
I think that the first step is to look at the cost for the 2005 Roster.
PRIORITIES
1. Get feedback for the membership on data accuracy
2. Update and maintain current data
3. Explore new data storage media and procedures
4. Identify budget constraints
5. Explore options for collation and publication
6. Set goals for frequency of publishing or online updates (realtime?)
7. Recruit participants to augment and support the current volunteer team
8. Make sure that this remains fun for all
