Microsoft Works Suite 2000 contains a set of software products designed primarily for home use. It includes Word 2000, the MS Works spreadsheet and database programs, MS Money, Home Publishing 2000, the Encarta encyclopedia and Expedia mapping program. 

One of the most interesting performance support features of this product is the Task Launcher. It's used to open the Works Suite programs and related internet sites. The task launcher provides 4 different methods for opening applications.  

The Tasks view can be used to open the application that performs a particular type of task. In Figure 1,  the task category Newsletter & Flyers is selected. There are several tasks within this category. The selected Event flyers task is a MS Word template. Selecting this task will open MS Word with the template. The screen also shows other documents (Echo Drama Troupe) that ware created based on the Event flyers template. 

Figure 1

The Program view shows all the programs in the Works Suite. Selecting a program shows some of the templates or tasks that can be performed with the selected program.  

Figure 2

The Search feature can be used from the Task or Programs views. Typing a keyword will display a list of related  tasks and templates.  

Figure 3

The History view lists all the documents created by any Words Suite program. This greatly simplifies the process of finding files. The documents don't have to be stored in the same directory. 

Figure 4

The MS Works Suite Task launcher provides a simple and elegant method for accessing all the features and programs within the suite. The task launcher interface contains clear instructions and descriptions of the templates and tasks. It provides a good example of the type of interface that could developed in HTML to provide access to the programs and templates used by an organization.