Targeted user interface fall-through

Abstract

Targeted user interfaces of managed applications can be displayed in a number of ways. Targeted user interfaces can be displayed, at a management computer server, based on task templates associated with tasks selected in a user interface of a management application running on the management computer server. Targeted user interfaces can be displayed, at a management computer server, based on a chosen task template associated with a task selected in a user interface of a management application running on the management computer server. A task template can be chosen from one or more task templates associated with a selected task. Objects can be displayed in a user interface of a management application, and based on a selection of an object, tasks can be displayed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an exemplary system for displaying a user interface of a managed application.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an exemplary system for managing managed applications.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for displaying a targeted user interface.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for displaying a targeted user interface at a management computer server.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for choosing a task template.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for choosing a task template based on task rules.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for managing a managed application.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an exemplary user interface of a management application.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an exemplary wizard targeted user interface.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an exemplary view targeted user interface.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an exemplary dialog targeted user interface.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an exemplary user interface depicting a problem.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an exemplary task template schema.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an exemplary user interface depicting display of task templates.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an exemplary system for using tasks.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an exemplary multi-server system for performing tasks.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a computing environment that can be used to implement any of the technologies described herein.

FIG. 18 is block diagram illustrating an example of a computer system that can be used to implement any of the technologies described herein.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for displaying a targeted user interface of a managed application, the method comprising: displaying, in a user interface of a management application running on a management computer server, one or more tasks;receiving, via the user interface of the management application, a selection of a task from the one or more tasks; anddisplaying the targeted user interface of the managed application based on a task template associated with the selected task, wherein the targeted user interface of the managed application is displayed at the management computer server.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying the targeted user interface of the managed application based on the task template associated with the selected task comprises: passing a user interface identifier obtained from the task template to the managed application, wherein the user interface identifier identifies the targeted user interface of the managed application.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying the targeted user interface of the managed application based on the task template associated with the selected task comprises: passing a context identifier associated with the selected task to the managed application, wherein the context identifier identifies a context of the selected task.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface of the management application is displayed in a first user interface window at the management computer server, and wherein displaying the targeted user interface of the managed application comprises displaying the targeted user interface in a second user interface window at the management computer server.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying the targeted user interface of the managed application comprises passing personalization information from the management computer server to the managed application, and wherein the targeted user interface is personalized based on the personalization information.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, via the user interface of the management application, a selection of an object from one or more objects displayed in the user interface of the management application;wherein the one or more tasks are associated with the selected object, and wherein the one or more tasks are displayed in response to receiving the selection of the object.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein displaying the targeted user interface of the managed application based on the task template associated with the selected task comprises: passing a context identifier associated with the selected object to the managed application, wherein the context identifier identifies a context of the selected object; andpassing a user interface identifier obtained from the task template to the managed application, wherein the user interface identifier identifies the targeted user interface of the managed application.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising: displaying, in the user interface of the management application, an indication of a problem with an object; andreceiving, via the user interface of the management application, a selection of the object;wherein the one or more tasks are displayed in response to receiving the selection of the object.

9. A computer implemented method for displaying a targeted user interface of a managed application at a management computer server, the method comprising: displaying, in a user interface of a management application running on the management computer server, one or more tasks;receiving, via the user interface, a selection of a task from the one or more tasks;choosing a task template associated with the selected task; andbased on the chosen task template, displaying the targeted user interface of the managed application at the management computer server.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising: receiving, via the user interface of the management application, a selection of an object from one or more objects displayed in the user interface of the management application;wherein the one or more tasks are associated with the selected object, and wherein the one or more tasks are displayed in response to receiving the selection of the object.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the task template is one of a plurality of task templates associated with the selected task, and wherein choosing the task template comprises choosing the task template from the plurality of task templates based on status information of the selected object.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the task template is one of a plurality of task templates associated with the selected task, and wherein choosing the task template comprises: analyzing status information of the selected object; andbased on a result of the analysis of the status information, choosing the task template from the plurality of task templates.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the task template is one of a plurality of task templates associated with the selected task, and wherein choosing the task template comprises choosing the task template from the plurality of task templates based on status information of one or more objects associated with the selected task.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein displaying the targeted user interface of the managed application at the management computer server comprises: passing a user interface identifier obtained from the task template to the managed application, wherein the user interface identifier identifies the targeted user interface of the managed application.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein choosing the task template comprises choosing the task template from a plurality of task templates associated with the selected task by evaluating one or more task rules.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein evaluating the one or more task rules comprises: receiving status information of one or more objects associated with the selected task; andevaluating the one or more task rules based on the status information of the one or more objects.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the managed application is located on a computer server different from the management computer server.

18. A computer implemented method for managing a managed application from a management computer server by displaying a targeted user interface of the managed application at the management computer server, the method comprising: displaying, via a user interface of a management application running on the management computer server, one or more objects;receiving, from a user via the user interface of the management application, a selection of an object from the one or more objects;displaying, in the user interface of the management application, one or more tasks associated with the selected object;receiving, from a user via the user interface of the management application, a selection of a task from the one or more tasks;choosing a task template from one or more task templates associated with the selected task; andbased on the chosen task template, displaying the targeted user interface of the managed application at the management computer server.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein choosing the task template from the one or more task templates associated with the selected task comprises: receiving status information of the selected object; andevaluating one or more task rules based on the received status information.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein displaying the targeted user interface of the managed application at the management computer server comprises: passing a context identifier associated with the selected object to the managed application; andpassing a user interface identifier obtained from the task template to the managed application, wherein the user interface identifier identifies the targeted user interface of the managed application.