A Method library is a repository of elements used to generate process guidance based on a selected methodology. Process guidance is typically delivered to end-users in the form of a published web site. Process guidance can also be imported into other compatible applications.
Method libraries are organized into sets of method plug-ins. Within a plug-in, content is separated into method content (tasks, roles, work products and guidance) and processes (capability patterns and delivery processes).
A method library is analogous to a warehouse full of parts used to assemble various end-products. Elements in a method library are organized by their intended function the way similar parts would be organized on a shelf in the warehouse.
A configuration is the design specification used to generate a specific instance of process guidance. We also use the term configuration to refer to the process guidance generated by that design specification. Configurations are built from subsets of elements in the method library. To follow our analogy, configurations would represent the various products like cars that can be assembled from parts in the warehouse. Some cars will obviously require unique parts but there is a common base which can used across all models.
The library view shows all parts in the warehouse, including those that are used by all products and those which are used only in certain products. There may even be parts that are not used in any of the products, such as obsolete or experimental parts. The configuration view only shows the parts used in a specific end-product, analogous to the specific list of parts used in a particular model of car.
Once a configuration is selected in the main menu, the configuration view shows only the library elements used in that configuration. Content in the configuration view is always laid out using the same set of folders regardless of which configuration is selected.Perspectives are similar to modes in that they are used for different high-level operations. The 2 main perspectives commonly used in routine operations are the authoring perspective and the browsing perspective.
The authoring perspective is designed for content editing and configuration operations. Method content is created and maintained using various built-in editors optimized for particular content types. As you create new or modify existing content you will use this perspective most of the time. There is a preview option in this perspective which lets you see the resulting page but without resolving all the contributing elements that make up that page.
The browsing perspective provides a more complete preview of the generated configuration but does not allow editing or reconfiguration. You will probably want to use this perspective to verify new or edited configurations before the actual publishing operation. The browsing perspective does resolve all contributing components but does not show the tree browser which will be automatically built and included in the configuration when it is published.