OK we've got an iPhone app developer identified! So let's figure out some requirements. I'm thinking we start with something simple, so what are the most important features in your opinion?
- Attach the app to your Groupanizer site and log in (obviously)
- Enter your attendance plan?
- Take attendance?
- Set song status?
- Upload MP3 files to pass songs?
What would you love to see first?
Tom
I guess MY first question would be is whether or not this app is going to be geared specifically toward Admins or will the scope also include regular member usage?
As an admin it would be awesome to be able to enter attendance, modify song status, modify task status, create new recruits, MAYBE create/modify invoices (I don't use that (yet) but some might) and finally MAYBE do a blog post.
My only other request would be to see how easy it would be to take whatever iPhone app is created and port it for us Android users. ;) I know lots of people love their iPhones, but Droid > iPhone imho.
Disclaimer: This comment was not intended to start a flame war. Any flaming can be directed right at me and should not clog up this topic. :D
Phil Owen
Central Standard Webmaster & Marketing VP
I would suggest including some "regular member" uses. You'll sell more apps. :) But I always treat admins as the primary customers.
I often find myself taking notes before/during/after rehearsals and in other meetings related to action items for folks. It'd be great to be able to add these as tasks and assign them as necessary. Being able to update the tasks' status would also be nice.
Jamie Bedford
Voices In Harmony, VP Music
Brewhouse Quartet, Tenor
"My only other request would be to see how easy it would be to take whatever iPhone app is created and port it for us Android users. "
I am not the sharpest pencil in the box but to my knowledge iPhone would need to be written in Java to be ported to Driod's version of Java. As far as I know Java apps on iPhone are as rare as hens teeth. Not sure if Java is in fact "supported" on iPhone yet, though there are some that have hacked it.
I think any app written for iPhone would require a complete re-write.
Ian Harrop
Western Hospitality Singers www.sing4fun.ca
Alberta Sport Parachuting Association www.aspa.ca
ian.harrop@live.com
As the iPhone developer in question and not caring about a flame war iPhone > Droid imho. So there. Religon!
I don't use groupanizer so I will need some guidance on what it can do. I was thinking, though, of also having a riser chart for tablets and take attendance using that. Make sense?
Jim Adams
First, for the regular user, set an attendance plan. For the admin / attendance taker, take attendance.
To me a key requirement is not too many button presses. It shouldn't be "select user, select Attended, press ok, select next user ...", it should be "scroll through a list of users and select Attended if they're there; press submit at the bottom". Also, if you just pressed "attended" on the last visible user, the app should auto-scroll to make the user after that visible. Or possibly do a full "page down". Usability matters! :)
Other usability issues: ability to sort by first name, last name, voice part, riser position (as defined in the "riser placement" module). A sort or sub-sort on attendance plan might be handy, too, i.e. list first the people that said they'd be there, since they're the most likely people you'll see.
Larry Clapp, President, Tampa Heralds of Harmony, BHS
Ok, so I have been a little silent lately. It is time to swing into action. The following actions have been identified:
All users:
Regular user
Admin User
What about the following?
Now where do I find the API docs?
Jim Adams
Hey Jim,
Glad this is moving ahead!
I'd suggest allowing regular users as well as admins upload MP3s and change song status, if only for themselves.
It would also be very cool if regular users could complete their own tasks through the interface.
No APIs exist - I will implement whatever you need. I assume they are HTTP or JSON calls?
Tom
The APIs could be JSON or XML whatever is easiest for you. We'll need to come up with a logon method as well as the functions you want to expose.
Jim Adams
JSON is easily supported by Drupal, so that's probably best.
Is there a "standard" way of doing login that the iPhone uses? Like the way it works for web pages, ideally!
I think doing it the way the web page does should work. I can do an http POST form very easily. Let's start talking about functions that you want me to support and get a skeleton spec going.
Jim Adams
I'm pretty new to Grouponizer. So, I'll try to not demonstrate my ignorance too much. But, one feature I'd love to see on an iPhone app is to view the group calendar. We currently use Google Calendar for the Alexandria Harmonizers' public and private calendars. Nearly every Mac/iPhone/iPad user subscribes to the Google Cals so any changes we make automatially update on their native calendar applications. If this isn't available in Grouponizer, being able to see the events "on the go" would be great!
Scott
I realize that scope creep is the biggest detriment to getting an app released, so this may need to wait for the 1.1 version to avoid delaying an app launch. But I think a huge need is simple integration with Dropbox for the movement of files. I am starting to receive learning tracks for distribution through a shared Dropbox, and would love to easily grab the files and move them to Groupanizer while mobile on my iPad.
Is there a status as to when we might see the first version of the App?
Carole Bergerson
Groupanizer Mistress
Alaska Sound Celebration
cbergerson@gmail.com
Has this stalled? Does anyone have any idea of a timescale for either an I-pad or an Andriod app?
Major OaK Chorus
Nottingham, UK
We're definitely keep it in our scope - we plan to release some major user interface improvements over the next 6 months, and the iphone/android app is definitely near the top of the list for us in improvements! We'll announce as soon as we know more!
Kari Metzger
EVP Business Development
Groupanizer
Kari Metzger
EVP Business Development
Groupanizer
(d) 604-451-7454
kari@groupanizer.com
I've been thinking about this more (mainly cause I was considering offering to build it), but I'm wondering why I'd use an app vs just log into the site and do things online.
If I'm taking attendance (one thing I can see being useful), it'd be more complex to build something to take it, store it, and then upload later, as opposed to just connect and do it live on the site.
I've just bought an iPad, and using the site on it is much better than half the apps that I've seen. I've also looked into building iPad apps that hook into Drupal for data etc, and they all require a live connection to the site. So if I'm connecting to the site to get the data I want for the app, why wouldn't I just sign in and do it there?
Antony Currington
Musical Director :: Harbour Capital Chorus
Email :: acurrington@paradise.net.nz
Wellington, New Zealand
I'm with you on this Antony. I really don't care about an app, I'd just like the site to recognize when I'm using an iPad or iPhone or similar device and format for it. Right now it's pretty annoying on my iPhone: the Admin menu gets in the way of everything else. I'd suggest that the small-screen version eliminate the admin menu altogether while maintaining a "full site" link so that if you really need the admin menus on your iPhone you can get there.
Cindy
Director, Pittsburgh Threshold Choir
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
http://ptc.groupanizer.com
I'm with you on this Antony. I really don't care about an app, I'd just like the site to recognize when I'm using an iPad or iPhone or similar device and format for it. Right now it's pretty annoying on my iPhone: the Admin menu gets in the way of everything else. I'd suggest that the small-screen version eliminate the admin menu altogether while maintaining a "full site" link so that if you really need the admin menus on your iPhone you can get there.
Cindy
Director, Pittsburgh Threshold Choir
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
http://ptc.groupanizer.com
Antony,
I imagine the primary benefit of having a mobile app would be to allow for offline usage. Taking attendance without needing to be on an active internet connection, and then being able to sync later. Plus, using a phone rather than a tablet or a laptop could be moderately more convenient even if there is an active internet connection available.
Good point, though. I still thing a web-based implementation designed for smaller form factor would be plenty good enough (I'm imagining a pinch zoom-able, riser-chart based attendance taker module for smartphone, in particular). That doesn't offer the marketing opportunity of being on app stores, though...
Jamie
Jamie Bedford
Voices In Harmony, VP Music
Brewhouse Quartet, Tenor
Our chorus is considering using groupanizer. We have finished our trial and would likely continue. One question the team had, as they all sat at the table with their ipads and iphones, was if there was going to be a mobile app. An important feature would be being able to tape their quals on the phone directly to the app OR making it easy to upload the file from their iphone. Many of our members tape on their phones, press a button and email it to their listener. If we can't get the techie gals in the chorus onboard sending their quals through the site then it will be harder to encourage the non techie ones to jump onboard.
When would an app be out and what features are planned?
Jenn Hunter
Saratoga Soundtrack Chorus
Saratoga Springs, NY
jenn@saratogasoundtrack.org
First I am not an iPhone user BUT some of my members are and they are uploading recordings from the iPhones directly to the system for testing without a specific app. They just browse the website to My Song Status and do it. I had to add a file format (m4a) to accommodate uploading from iPhones but that was easy to do.
Ian Harrop
Western Hospitality Singers www.sing4fun.ca
Alberta Sport Parachuting Association www.aspa.ca
ian.harrop@live.com
Hmm... Can anyone explain how this can be done on the iphone? I have been playing with mine and can not figure out how to get the song qual file attached? I have m4a allowed... that is not the problem. When you click on attach file there is no way to get at an iphone file unless it is a photo or video file. Thanks!
Jenn Hunter
Saratoga Soundtrack Chorus
Saratoga Springs, NY
jenn@saratogasoundtrack.org
There is no way to do riser placement on the ipad or iphone. It would be way more convenient to do riser changes on the spot if we could do it on an iphone or ipad.
Jenn Hunter
Saratoga Soundtrack Chorus
Saratoga Springs, NY
jenn@saratogasoundtrack.org
The first version should address chapter member (not admins) and should be kept simple for early delivery. The most requested features for our members are in this order:
More advanced features could follow in update versions.
Besides developing an iphone app, you should definitely looks into responsive webdesign templates. Otherwise you will leave the Androids behind (which is more than the half of our guys).
Reinhard Weber
Herrenbesuch
Munich, Germany