Processes without specific method configurations

Using this method, you can create a process without associating a specific method configuration to the process.

By creating processes without specific method configurations, the following benefits can be realized when authoring capability patterns or delivery processes:

You can directly select any element from any method plug-in in the Library view to create descriptors in the process editors.
You can select method elements and activities from the configuration view to create process descriptors.
You can use process variability like Copy, Extend, and Deep Copy in a configuration free process. The underlying process scope is calculated and updated accordingly in these cases.
You can also use activity variability, such as Contributes, Extends, and Extends and Replaces.

The advantage of creating processes without configurations is that authors can conduct targeted selection of elements by choosing predefined method configurations with narrower scope in a focused area. Authors can easily locate elements from various configurations by selecting a method configuration from the Configuration Selection list, then using the Configuration view as the element selection source. The Configuration view also categorizes all the elements which make the selection much easier. Also note that processes without configurations do not change in the process editor during authoring, when the configuration in the list is changed.

Business rules

The following business rules are associated with creating processes without configurations:

If the selected method element is a base element, a descriptor is created based on the base element. Those elements that extend, replace, contribute, or extend and replace the base element are not considered. The underlying process scope is updated to reflect the method plug-in that contains the selected base elements.
If the selected element is an extender, a descriptor is created based on the extender element. The extender and its parent base elements and their corresponding method plug-ins are calculated and added into the process scope.
If the selected element is a contributor, Engineering Method Composer calculates and finds its base element, then creates a descriptor based on its base element instead of the contributing element.
If the selected element is an "extends and replaces" element, Engineering Method Composer behaves the same as the extender, for example, a descriptor is created based on the selected element. The extender and its parent elements and their corresponding method plug-ins are calculated and added to the process scope.
In all the previous cases, when the underlying process scope has been updated, all associated elements and their containing plug-ins are added into the process scope.
During browsing and publishing, a process without a method configuration will be realized based on the method configuration selected for the browsing and publishing.

Creating a process without specifying a method configuration

In the Library view, expand Processes.
To create a capability pattern, right-click Capability Patterns and select New > Capability Pattern.
To create a delivery process, right-click Delivery Processes and select New > Delivery Process.
In the New Process Component window, specify a name for your process.
In the Default Configuration list, select None and click OK.

Note: The Description tab of the process editor under Configuration section, displays None (default) and all buttons to add, remove, or make the current configuration as default are disabled. In various filter dialog windows of the process editor, you can select elements from the current configuration, method plug-ins in the library, and method plug-ins from the current process scope.

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