Towards a task oriented method for accessing network based services

Abstract

Today's networked users are required to configure a number of different network settings on their computer in order to access specific network based services. For example, these users need to know whether to enable a Virtual Private Network (VPN) tunnel and, in some cases, also select the appropriate wireless network. As more sophisticated security models are incorporated into networks, the user's task in managing these settings will become more complex. This paper describes a design which simplifies the task of accessing network based services using a more user oriented, less technology centric task flow.