# Method Content

Method content provides step-by-step explanations, describing how specific development goals are achieved, independent of the placement of these steps within a development lifecycle. Processes take these method elements and relate them into semi-ordered sequences that are customized to specific types of projects.

Method content elements are:

- Task
- Role
- Work Product
- Guidance

A Process Engineer authors these elements, defines the relationships between them, and then categorizes them. Method content provides step-by-step explanations, describing how specific development goals are achieved independent of the placement of these steps within a development lifecycle. Processes take these method elements and relate them into semi-ordered sequences that are customized to specific types of projects.

For example, a software development project that develops an application from scratch performs development tasks such as "Develop Vision" or "Use Case Design" similar to a project that extends an existing software system. However, the two projects will perform the tasks at different points in time with a different emphasis, i.e., they perform the steps of these tasks at different points of time and perhaps apply individual variations and additions.

Method content elements are contained within method content packages which, in turn, are contained within a Method plug-in. In order to separate your own content from original OpenUP content, you should always create new method content in a method plug-in that you produce. Creating method content in a method plug-in of your own also allows you to update your own library with new releases of the OpenUP library without affecting the content that you have created in your own plug-ins.

See also:

Related concepts
Method Content Categories
Related tasks
Create Method Content
Create a Method Plug-in