Workflow-authorizing computing device authentication

1. A method comprising:

with a computing device, acquiring data encoded in a variable data component, wherein the data encoded in the variable data component relates to multiple downstream workflows;

with the computing device, authenticating at least one element selected from the group consisting of the computing device and a proper user of the computing device; and

selecting one of the multiple downstream workflows to execute based on information acquired about the proper user during authentication, wherein the workflow is:

defined by the data encoded in the variable data component and information gathered about the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the computing device and the proper user of the computing device during authentication of the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the computing device and the proper user of the computing device; and

enabled via the authentication of the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the computing device and a proper user of the computing device; and

receiving user input referenced during authentication.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an update to the downstream workflow, which update is generated after the creation of the variable data component.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the downstream workflow comprises a prompt to capture one of a group of secondary variable data components;

each secondary variable data component of a subset of the group of secondary variable data components triggers a subsequent workflow; and

the number of secondary variable data components in the subset is fewer than or equal to the number of secondary variable data components in the group.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the downstream workflow comprises providing information specific to a user of the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, selecting a downstream workflow based on information about the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the computing device and the proper user of the computing device collected during authentication.

6. The method of claim 5 :

further comprising determining a role for the user based on information about the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the computing device and the proper user of the computing device collected during authentication; and

wherein a selected downstream workflow is further based on a determined role for the user.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining access rights based on an authentication format to authenticate the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the computing device and the proper user of the computing device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the downstream workflow is user-specific.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the downstream workflow is device-specific.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a mapping between:

workflow data associated with the variable data component;

data relating to the computing device and its associated user; and

permissions of the user relating to subsequent portions of the workflow.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

an authenticated user receives first access rights upon provision of a first type of authentication information; and

the authenticated user is to receive second access rights upon provision of a second type of authentication information.

12. A computing device comprising:

acquire circuitry to acquire data encoded in a variable data component, wherein the data encoded in the variable data component relates to multiple downstream workflows;

authentication circuitry to authenticate at least one element selected from the group consisting of the computing device and a proper user of the computing device;

workflow circuitry to select one of the multiple downstream workflows to execute based on information acquired about the proper user during authentication, wherein the downstream workflow is:

defined by data encoded in the variable data component and information acquired about the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the computing device and the proper user of the computing device during authentication of the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the computing device and the proper user of the computing device; and

enabled via the authentication of the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the computing device and the proper user of the computing device; and

a user interface to receive user input referenced during authentication.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the downstream workflow comprises a command to trigger execution of an application to read hidden data in the variable data component.

14. The device of claim 12 , wherein the authentication circuitry authenticates the computing device using at least one of the computing elements selected from the group consisting of user biometric login data, username/password data, device uniqueness identification data, global positioning information, and device payment authorization information.

15. The device of claim 12 , wherein the workflow circuitry triggers a downstream workflow that is generated after the generation of the variable data component.

16. The device of claim 12 , wherein the user interface prompts a user to select one of multiple computing device authentication formats.

17. The computing device of claim 12 , wherein the downstream workflow is role-specific.

18. A computing system comprising:

a processor;

a machine-readable storage medium coupled to the processor; and

an instruction set stored in the machine-readable storage medium to be executed by the processor, wherein the instruction set comprises:

instructions to capture an image of a printed variable data component;

instructions to, upon capturing the image of the printed variable data component, authenticate at least one element selected from the group consisting of the computing device and a proper user of the computing device;

instructions to, upon authentication of the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the computing device and a proper user of the computing device, authorize a downstream workflow, wherein the downstream workflow is:

defined by data encoded in the printed variable data component; and

enabled via the authentication of the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the computing device and the proper user of the computing device; and

instructions to, upon authorizing the downstream workflow, prompt a user to capture one of a group of secondary variable data components, wherein:

each of a subset of the group of secondary variable data components triggers a subsequent workflow; and

the number of secondary variable data components in the subset is fewer than or equal to the number of secondary variable data components in the group.

19. The computing system of claim 18 , wherein:

the instruction set comprises instructions to, print the printed variable data component and the group of secondary variable data components; and

wherein each secondary variable data component enables a different workflow operation based on a role of the proper user.

20. The computing system of claim 18 , wherein instructions to authorize a downstream workflow comprise instructions to trigger a multi-stage workflow wherein each stage of the multi-stage workflow is defined by one of the subset of the group of variable data components.