Following is a vision of how WebNet might be used by local-area network (LAN) designers and managers at the University of Colorado. The scenario illustrates how WebNet integrates working, learning, and collaborating. The purpose of the scenario is to present concrete examples of the kinds of information and mechanisms that WebNet will include, as a background to the discussion of computational support in the following section.

Kay is a geography graduate student who works part-time for network services. Kay logs into WebNet through her web browser, and WebNet responds by displaying Kay's WebNet home page. Kay had designed this page to include information sources she needs to check regularly; it delivers information that is related to her LAN and to her job responsibilities. Kay's WebNet home page contains a message list (with email and comments directed to Kay from co-workers and clients), a to-do list for tracking her current projects, and a community-wide task list of jobs that need to be done.

Integration of the Work Situation. Kay notices that she has a message from Ray, her supervisor, suggesting a new task for her. Kay selects the Geology job from the task-list and WebNet displays a task specification page (see Figure 1-A). The task specification says that a new Windows NT Server and three Macintosh PowerPC workstations are to be connected to the Geology Network in room 214. Kay's task is to prepare a logical design, parts list, and price breakout for the new installation. The task specification also provides a budget and contacts within the Geology Department. Kay clicks on "reserve task" to inform her co-workers and WebNet that she will take care of the task.

When Kay clicks on "Geology Net" in the task specification, WebNet displays a logical map of the current Geology LAN in the knowledge-based construction tool for LANs. The construction tool provides a work area, a tool bar, and a palette of network design elements that can be selected with the mouse and placed in the work area (see Figure 1-B).

Kay begins to plan the installation of new equipment by adding the purchased equipment to the existing logical network using the construction tool. She selects the Macintosh icon from the palette and places three workstations into room 214. Then she selects a Windows NT icon and places it. Finally, Kay connects the new equipment by dragging the cable to reach from the existing network to each of the new machines.

Information Delivery. When Kay has connected the machines to the network, WebNet beeps and places a blinking router icon at the junction between the existing network and the portion that Kay has added. A critic message appears in WebNet’s lower pane, indicating that the configuration she has specified requires a router. Kay knows what a router basically does and why a router is needed in this configuration. However, she doesn't know what specific router is needed or how much the needed router should cost.

Kay selects the link to "router" in the critic message, and WebNet brings up a new page containing information about routers (see Figure 1-C). The router information page contains a short description of routers from the WebNet glossary, a collection of definitions for common networking terms.

Kay finds that this definition is also too general so she decides to check out some displayed bookmarks. Bookmarks consists of a catalog of URLs that previous WebNet users had found helpful and had added. WebNet has displayed the bookmarks that are relevant to the current design. To Kay's disappointment, the bookmarks point to router manufacturers’ pages, which contain detailed specifications about the routers, but not the type of information that Kay needs.

Kay decides to search WebNet’s information space. WebNet supplies a default query based on the current LAN design context: "list all information about routers". Kay can use this default to search WebNet, or she can modify the default query by simply typing in more words to the query box. More sophisticated searches may be performed by selecting the "more choices" button, which brings up a query window containing an interface for constructing queries involving particular information sources within WebNet, author, dates, and specific networks, in addition to the search string.

Kay begins her search by selecting the "Search Now" button. WebNet displays links to many pieces of information, ordered by their relevance to the query string. Overwhelmed by the amount of information, Kay decides to refine the query. She selects "more choices" and restricts her search to email written in the past six months and modifies the query to "list emails about routers for small networks" (see Figure 1-D).

This query returns just twelve email messages. One describes how Pat used a PC as a router in a small LAN. Pat's email indicates that routing in software can be cheaper and more flexible than through a hardware router, although there is a performance penalty.

Sustaining the Organizational Memory. Kay decides that Pat’s solution may also work for the Geology Network. She adds information about her solution to WebNet’s glossary, making it available to other members of the network design community. She includes a link to Pat's email message, and also a link to her design, to connect these related pieces of information. Now other designers in Kay’s community will benefit from the knowledge Kay uncovered through her work.

Kay returns to the task description page and adds a status report describing her proposed design. She tags the status report to be sent to Ray, to the Geology contact person, and to Pat, asking for feedback on her decision.