Practice authoring assumes that there is an established Practice Framework in place in which the practice will reside. This framework includes those elements that will be shared between practices (e.g., the Work Product Slots, common guidance, common categories, etc.). All practice authoring work must be performed within the constraints of the method framework and the practice design.

Authoring a practice involves defining how the practice fits in the practice framework, defining what elements are included in the practice and how they are structured, as well as providing descriptions for each of the included method elements.

Depending on the "newness" and/or complexity of the practice you are authoring, you may decide to sketch out some ideas on how the practice will fit within the framework, what are its inputs (work product slots), what it will produce, what it will contain and how it will be organized (Guideline: Sketching a Practice). 

Once you feel comfortable with the scope, general "shape" and technical feasibility of what you are building, it is time to capture the practice more formally, using the sketch to guide you (Guideline: Structuring a Practice). 

Once the structure is established, you can detail the practice elements (Guideline: Detailing Practice Elements).

As you author your practice, it is a good idea to browse and/or publish your results and make sure that you are getting the results you want (Guideline: Publishing a Practice).