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Overview
The plan is to create an application that will allow CiviCRM users to interact with their database through mobile devices (phones, tablets, etc). The app will allow users (after authenticating) to access certain parts of their CiviCRM installation. It is intended to be used by staff at a particular organisation as opposed to site visitors. Initially I would like to implement some basic functionality, phase 1, which give people a chance to feedback during an early stage in the project, this could then help shape phase 2 to find out what would be most useful.
You can view the proposal I wrote for my tutor here.
If this is an important feature for your org / clients, please Make It Happen
JQuery mobile + Symfony
CiviMobile is being developed using JQuery Mobile , progress so far is available for anyone wanting to take a look: mobile.thirsectordesign.org/civimobile u-demo p-demo
Phase 1 will be completed by the end of the EU code sprint (12-17th December). Before starting Phase 2, core team will be getting Symfony (php framework) set up, phase 2 development will then continue and test out the framework, with a view of potentially migrating other parts of Civi to Symfony.
Features
Phase 1
Dec 2011 ~ Jan 2012
Implement basic functionality
Create / Edit:
- New Contact: name, address and email
- Update Contact: name, address and email
- Add notes to contacts
- Add activity to contacts
- Add case activity to contacts
Search / View
- Basic Contact Info
- Address / Email / Phone
- Relationships
- Contribitions / Membership / Activities / Participants / Cases / Notes
- Call contacts from phone
Phase 2
Jan 2012 ~ Mar 2012
Implement specific workflows
- Event Participant Check-In - Generate a list of event participants for a particular event, when an individual arrives, their status is changed in CiviCRM
- Contacts close to my current location
- Integrate with survey tool (Generate walk lists and conduct surveys using mobile device)
- CiviCampaign
- CiviPetition
Phase 3:
- Local storage of info and offline synchronization
12 Comments
Hide/Show CommentsNov 09, 2011
Matt Burkhardt
From working with some colleges and universities, they find it's best to develop apps based on the user and that specific user's need. For example, might want to create an app for Event Registration vs. Donor Contributions. Would love to get involved with this.
Nov 13, 2011
Peter McAndrew
Hey Matt,
I hear where you're coming from and can understand that, I guess what's important is trying to implement features that the majority of organisations can make use of. I think that contact add/search is a fairly broad one and that most people would find event checkin useful as well, for those using CiviEvent. As for phase 2, that is quite specific but perhaps something that models well to mobile devices and being able to walk around collecting data. I do also have some constraints from my Uni, it wouldn't look too good if I said I was going to implement one feature and then went off and did something completely different.
If you're on IRC ping me next time you connect (petermcandrew), we can chat some more.
Nov 10, 2011
Adrian Puryear
I would be interested in helping where I could on this too. Event check-in(Maybe barcode input or something to ensure they were really there, GPS?) and a custom Interactive PDF link that we could create a PDF of the onsite brochure and that way people had instant access to maps, materials, etc. This would be a huge help. Does anyone know how well CiviCRM works on a tablet style device browser? Wait are you saying this would be more of an admin side tool rather than a user end?
What about the ability to capture a digital signature when checking in?
Nov 13, 2011
Peter McAndrew
Wow, some great ideas there. Yes the idea of the app is to be an admin tool for organisations with CIviCRM, at this stage not to be used my site visitors, i.e people signing up to an event will have to use normal page. I think your ideas about interactive PDF refer to the app being designed for end users but correct me if I'm wrong. One of our clients uses CiviCRM on his Ipad which seems to work fine. The digital signature sounds interesting, but not sure what you would then do with it once you had it...care to elaborate?
Dec 02, 2011
Adrian Puryear
I was thinking the digital signature would be something that could be stored with a user or attached to registration. Often we track check in and check out aspects for CPE purposes. Would be nice to house a digital signature for those claiming CPE and as verification for their attendance. Most of the features I have in mind were for end users rather than admins. Such as event info, maps, phone numbers etc that allow attendees at an event to have the conference information at their fingertips and for those that might host large trade shows, interactive interior maps such like google is now deploying where the end user would be able to use while there or information such as onsite brochures, materials for a speaker and so forth. Often we try to provide QR Codes in brochures so that you have instant access to the materials as you walk into a session. We needed this because of all the trees we were killing and cost with printing. Just some thoughts. I use a CivicCRM website on my Android tablet and it works well. Where I see true value is the admin that is onsite and the end user who is onsite at events, fundraisers, etc. I would love to see integration with those OCR apps that take picture of credit cards for instant processing or integration with a card reader such as the square device that I believe has APIs and allows the use of the credit card processor already integrated within your own CiviCRM instance. Just some food for thought. Thanks for listening.
Dec 02, 2011
Adrian Puryear
Although I wouldn't have a use for it, I would imagine others would, would be another thought about signature capture would be in the CiviPetition module. Many Tablets have cellular data where the petition capture could be in real-time not just printing petition or having a page where your "digital signature" is the accepted part. Just trying to think of other uses.
Mar 24, 2012
Nathanael Nelson
I really like the idea of a bar/QR code scan to find the individual (a code that could be on the back of there name badge) and also we have a specific need that we have to collect signatures for our attendees. We are a non profit organization that currently uses civicrm. We offer CLE credit for our attendees but some states that certify our CLE credit require we collect a signature. It is okay with them that we do so electronically but we have to have it. This would make our integration of Civicrm so much better!!
Nov 12, 2011
ulimoebius
i dont think it is the right way to make an other app. why? the way to makes apps and the running systems change fast. and a contact in an app is nothing more than a contact in your mobile browser. the better way is to use sync-systems to integrate contacts in your mobile device. we try this way an make a tool that use funambol to sync civicrm with different devices. it is open source but really at the beginning (alpha). unfortunately i dont find the time to introduce the projekt to the civicrm-community until now.
Nov 13, 2011
Peter McAndrew
Hi ulimoebius, I had a look at the funambol site, but it seems like its more of a PIM tool, although that would be useful with contacts I can't really see how it would work for events or for conducting surveys. It does however look very interesting are you interested creating a PIM sync yourself?
Dec 07, 2011
Alex Sondy
Wouldn't it be much smarter and easier to go with jquerry mobile? The all famous Facebook App works much in the same sense. A Canvas in which extra features are build in (API) but the presentation of content (profils, events, walls) is pretty much a nice styled css feed.
I personally wanted to develop an app that easily checks people in at the Event location via an QR-Code and a smartphone (QR-Code send in Event-Confirmation). I don't think it is a good idea to develop an app targeted just for admins. Admins have allready little time - and if their is something that needs to be done, then they want even two monitors and not a small screen.
Dec 09, 2011
Matt Burkhardt
And I'm a very firm believer in design and Luke W has some good ideas - http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920020776.do
Dec 22, 2011
Donald A. Lobo
From David Esrati @ thenextwave dot biz
1) I'm really excited by this project- read your PDD and- I think it's critical for mobile access. I saw some amazing mobile use in the Obama campaign.
2) I agree that starting with user goals- or UX stories- helps develop smarter specifications.
Here are some things that I really think are the future of mobile.
1) the ability to build walk lists on the fly- based on GPS location and a parameter set: ie: most likely to vote, age, etc.
This way canvassers can start walking- and gather info- into a survey form: ie- are you likely to support XYZ, Are you interested in a yard sign? Would you like to make a donation?
This is where the integration with a square mobile payments reader would be awesome (totally changing the donation collection process).
2) The ability to register people at an event- or check them in- would be awesome- but- this isn't as critical for mobile- since at many events- a laptop can be used.
3) The ability to make phone calls- from a list that is served up- was used extensively by the Obama campaign. Highly effective- but not as effective as using a system with a predictive dialer- here you really are wasting a lot of your workers time- if they aren't just signing into a predictive dialing pool and using the system to gather data in real time.
4) Digital signatures are important- we've worked on solutions for school registrations where being able to collect a signature for emergency permissions- is absolutely needed. An iPad or a tablet solution with this incorporated is very beneficial.
5) Since data collection can come two ways- one- going where we know- ie walk lists- or random meetings- like at a rally- it's critical that mobile users be able to quickly find voters in the database- lookup via name, address, email, phone number etc- all would be helpful- but even better- would be able to swipe a drivers license with a mag strip- again the square device or something similar.
6) also being able to use other tools of the mobile device- like take a picture and attach it to a record- could be useful- for making volunteer ID's- or helping to confirm identity of workers.