Getting started 

Begin by making sure the team, including the key stakeholders, understands the key concepts and the scenarios.

The Practice Configuration Authoring practice assumes that the method authoring environment, including the method framework in which the Practice Configuration is to reside, has been set up. Make sure that all team members can access the environment and understand how to use it.

This practice describes how to author a new practice configuration, including any needed cross-practice processes as well as navigation views to be used to access the configuration elements. It also supports customizing an existing practice configuration:

• To adopt the "author new practice configuration" aspects, start by identifying the practice configuration to be authored. It is recommended that the first time you apply this practice that you apply it to author a practice configuration where the content to be included in the configuration is well understood and where subject matter experts of the practice configuration are part of the authoring team. Author the practice configuration incrementally, defining the structure of the configuration first (i.e., the scope and intended audience of the configuration, any cross-practice processes, specific navigation views that should be defined), followed by the detailing of the practice configuration elements. See Roadmap: Author a New Practice Configuration for the details.
• To adopt the "customize existing practice configuration" aspects, start by identifying the practice configuration you want to customize and how you want to customize it (e.g., do you want to change a process defined in the configuration, do you want to change the roles and/or role assignments or the standard categories used in the configuration, or do you simply want to change the navigation views for the configuration). It is recommended that the first time you apply this practice that you apply it to customize a practice configuration that is well understood and where subject matter experts of the practice configuration (and the customization) are part of the authoring team. See Roadmap: Customize an Existing Practice Configuration for the details.

As you apply the recommendations described in the practice, capture what you have learned, what worked for your team and what didn't so that you can continually fine-tune how your team applies the practice.

Common pitfalls

The following are some common pitfalls when adopting this practice.

• Selecting a practice configuration whose content is not well understood as the first practice configuration you author. If this is done, more time is spent understanding the practice configuration itself rather than in effectively applying the practice techniques.
• Spending too much time structuring the practice configuration. If this is done, the time it takes to deliver the practice configuration is extended as a lot of time is spent structuring as opposed to just enough to get an initial practice configuration out to get feedback, refining the structure, as needed. Try to keep the documentation clear and concise. Make sure that the consumers of the practice configuration documentation (the development team) are comfortable with the format and content of the documentation. Is there more or different information they would like see? Would they like to see less?