# Create a Role

A Role defines a set of related skills, competencies, and responsibilities of an individual or individuals.

You should always create new method content in a Method Plug-in that you produce.
To create a role:

1. Expand the content package in which you want to create the role.
2. Right click Roles, and then select New > Role. The role editor appears with the Description tab set as the default.
3. In the Name field, type a unique name for your role. The role name is the file name that appears in the Library view.
4. In the Presentation name field, type a presentation name. The presentation name is the name that appears in your published content and in the Configuration View. You can also make this name appear in the Library View by toggling the Show Presentation Names button in the Library View toolbar.
5. In the Brief Description field, type a short description of the new Role.
6. Type a more detailed description of the new Role in the Main Description field. The main description is a more detailed version of the description you typed into the Brief Description field. There are three ways you can create text for the description:
   - Directly, by typing it manually in the editor.
   - Copy from another similar role and then modify by using the editor.
   - Copy from an HTML source such as a published OpenUP/Basic Web site.
   Note: You can use the Rich Text Editor to edit or enter the text for any field that has a twisty symbol . Simply click the symbol to access the Rich Text Editor. Click the symbol again to close the Rich Text Editor. For more information see Rich Text Editor.
7. Under Version Information, provide any pertinent version information about the role.
8. Click the Work Products tab and then click the Add button to the right of the "Role is responsible for:" field. The Select Dialog for Work Products dialog opens.
9. Select one or more work products from the list. A description of the work product you select appears in the Brief Description field at the bottom of the dialog box.
   Note: The list of work products in the "Work products that are output of tasks that this role performs" field is calculated and cannot be changed with the role editor. A work product appears here if it is an output of a task that the role performs.
10. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the "Role is responsible for:" field is populated.
    Note: Selected elements in an Add/Remove section display both the element name (plug-in name) and the "path" (package name) to that element.
11. Click the Guidance tab. This part of the editor allows you to add and remove guidance for the role. To add guidance, click the Add button, select the guidance you want to add, and then click OK. To remove guidance, select it in the Guidance field and then click Remove. When you select a guidance element, the brief description of the guidance is displayed.
12. Click the Categories tab. A role can be included in one or more rolesets and any number of custom categories. Open the appropriate Select dialog by clicking the Add button next to the category lists. You can remove a role from a category by selecting it and then clicking the Remove button.
13. Click the Preview tab to view the newly created role and then save by closing the tab.

Parent topic: Create Method Content
Method Content
Create a Task
Create a Work Product
Create Guidance
Variability