Workflow: what use beyond the basics?

MJ. Smith said:

advanced worksheets where it is unreasonable to expect the Bible student to remember the details of how to accomplish all the tasks.

I'd like to be able to print/export a workflow for this purpose.

Mike Binks said:

As you become proficient with a process you can trim, edit the workflow

It would be nice if the workflows that come with L8 had an edit option so you could modify them and save-as your own custom workflow.

doc said:

MJ. Smith said:

training work flows for educational purposes

but there is nothing in the workflow that takes the Beginner from using the workflow and graduates them to using the  Passage Guide on it's own without the need for a the workflow that I could see.

Hello Doc:

I  am someone who believes that workflow is the very best addition to Logos, and I fall under the category of an advanced beginner.  Here is how I envision this, but please understand that I'm only responding to your statement above regarding workflow, as I believe it has potential to be a tool that advanced users will likewise find invaluable (if not only from the perspective of saving time).

What the workflow templates do is guide the absolute beginner so they can immediately use the program and expose them to resources and tools they would not know about otherwise.  It eliminates the frustration of trying to figure out HOW to do something in the program and allows them to simply enjoy their time in the Word.  However, while using the workflow template, they are brought to other tools and resources simply by clicking around.  If or when they find themselves over their head, they can come back to workflow and move on.  However, by then they have already been exposed to new tools outside of the workflow panel, and for many it will whet their appetite to try out a new tool. 

I am not computer savvy at all, but when I was in the inductive Bible study workflow, I clicked around at bit and after a little while, decided that as an inductive Bible study teacher, I would like my own Inductive workflow to be set up differently.  Without even looking at a video or how to guide, I was immediately able to start building my own workflow, which will take a while but that's okay as I plan on sharing it with my class students because, for the very first time ever, I feel I can actually recommend Logos to them.

Now, as a student or user is in workflow and exposed to various resources and tool, they will undoubtedly notice various other tools and guides which they will certainly, at first, use in its boilerplate form but with the glaring "ADD" button there, will look to create their own.  However, I believe it all starts with workflow--something that allows the beginner to click around safely to become exposed to the program but come back to in order to learn more.

And the beauty of workflow is that it CAN become so much more.  I see so much potential for it, and I'm not even computer savvy.

I hope that helps you see it a little bit through the eyes of someone who practically thew in the towel on the program and now sees it as something even MORE powerful for the seasoned user and something that will teach and excite the brand new beginner.

Denise said:

I can opine without ever seeing it!

FL'ers used that vocabulary for a long time ... I really wondered where it came from. My Dad was a preacher. He had a 'workflow' but his face would crinkle up and grimace at the word and the concept. Studying and preparing was his worship and his favorite time. There was no work, and no flow.

That said, when I read about it, I immediately thought of Cynthia and her enthusiasm. And MJ trying to lead Logos down the path of teaching, and integration.  So, my guesses might be right.

But can FL climb out of corporate group think, and into the Sanctuary?

Hello Denise!

I love reading your posts!  They always crack me up...and keep me on my toes.

Yesterday I was teaching the book of Ephesians, Chapter 4.  Something that struck me in verses 15-16 is that when speaking of the body of Christ growing up, the Church is to grow by "being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love."

It was the first time I ever really paid attention to that word held. So in layman's terms, it means that when every individual works out their gift, they are joined together (fitted or framed together) and unified (held or joined together as a whole) which causes spiritual growth for the purpose of strengthening itself in love. 

In my early Christian years, I wondered why everyone was not as passionate as me concerning equipping the Saints in the Word. It seemed so paramount to me.  Yet others felt it was more important to feed them, and others felt it was to pray for them...  I have come to understand that we need individuals like me, and we need individual like MJ, and when we all supply the body with the proper working of our individual part, that's when the magic happens!

All that to say...

I love that your post pegged me spot on, and I love that you pegged MJ's passion too.  But now, for the first time since I've been on this forum (and that's a reflection of me, not you), I understand a little bit of the heart in your "individual part" and what that joint supplies, and it's rather beautiful.

Francis said:

While from the standpoint of my own personal needs, I cannot see that I will have substantial use for workflows in the near future

You have done the hard work, already, I surmise, in developing your own work flow.  For me, Workflow is, as you suggest, going to be a big step forward, as the rig suggests avenues of exploration: click this.

GregW said:

  I also appreciate that not all of us want to prepare our preaching in a highly-structured way. For me, bringing structure to my approach is part of my worship. For others, different approaches are part of theirs.  

I love that... thanks Greg!

Tim Hensler said:

It would be nice if the workflows that come with L8 had an edit option so you could modify them and save-as your own custom workflow.

As a preacher who thrives on structure, I'm pretty enthusiastic about the workflows and their potential.  Sometimes the sermon-preparation process can feel overwhelming and it's great to be able to break it down step by step.

I'm looking forward to being able to combine the Expository Sermon Workflow with the Exegetical Passage workflow and the notes-based workflow that I have already been using for some time!

Is there a location where we can download other's uniquely designed workflows? For example, I would love to find one that follows the twelve step process detailed in DeRouchie/Naselli.

JH said:

Is there a location where we can download other's uniquely designed workflows? For example, I would love to find one that follows the twelve step process detailed in DeRouchie/Naselli.

JH, there should be a button at the bottom of the Guides menu to find other Workflows (I cant check because my PC if off right now!). 

At least, theres something like it somewhere! 

MJ. Smith said:

but most are not ready for prime time until the editor is beefed up a bit in what it can access.

I am not sure what you mean here.  Would you mind expanding this a little?  Thank you.

MJ. Smith said:

However, it is not complete nor does it include items such as the Timeline or some Interactives (think Psalms specifically).

The other items I need are (a) a date as the basic identifier and (b) multiple passages.

MJ. Smith said:

This list of options to which one can link in a workflow has been growing behind the scene:

Thanks, MJ.

FWIW, I won't use the defined Workflows, as I already have my own way of working. But as soon as I get the time, I'm going to invest in creating my own custom Workflow. I believe doing so will:

• Add discipline to my sermon preparation
• Remind me of important steps when tackling difficult genres or passages
• Speed up my study by giving me shortcuts to commonly performed operations
• Keep a record of my preparation and not just the final outcome

Ideally, I'd like far more customisation options than currently available, but what we have is certainly better than nothing — and the step-by-step process will work much better for me than custom guides which is what I've been using up until now.

I understand what you are saying Mike but there is nothing to lead a user from relying on the workflow to stepping away from it and using the passage guide, word study guide. There is nothing that even tells them they can  find this information on their own using the guides. There is a missing link.

Mike Binks said:

Hi Doc

doc said:

I haven't had the time to look at all of the workflows as yet, but...

Nor me but...

I see the Workflow facility as an aide memoir to processes rather than a training aid in those processes.

As you become proficient with a process you can trim, edit the workflow of dispense with it altogether.

For processes that you only do infrequently an aide memoir can be very useful even when proficient with the software.