Associations impacted by variability

The following table shows all possible associations between method content elements that can be impacted by variability. Outgoing associations are shown with a right-arrow →. Incoming associations are shown with a left-arrow ←.

Unless noted in the table, all associations are "many to many." For example, there can be many associations from a Guidance element to another Guidance element.

The few exceptions are noted with a "1" next to the arrow indicating that only one association is allowed in that direction. For example, there can be only one incoming association from a Task primary performer to a Role. Similarly, there can be only one outgoing association from a Task to a Role primary performer.

Table 1. Variability associations
Element Association direction Associated element
Guidance Guidance
Section
Any method content element
Any standard category
Custom category
Guidance
Guidance - Practice
Tool
Tool Mentor
Guidance - Checklist Check Item
Guidance - Practice Any category
Any method content element
Role Guidance
Section
Work product: responsible for
Custom Category
Guidance - Practice
Role Set
Task: additional performer
Task: primary performer
Task Guidance
Role: additional performer
Role: primary performer
Section
Step
Work Product: mandatory input
Work Product: optional input
Work Product: output
Custom category
Discipline
Guidance - Practice
Tool Mentor Guidance
Tool
Work Product Guidance
Section
Custom category
← 1 Domain
Guidance - Practice
Role
Task: mandatory input
Task: optional input
Task: output
Work Product - deliverable
Work Product kind
Work Product - Artifact Work Product - Artifact
Work Product - Artifact
Work Product - Deliverable Work Product
Activity Activity
Activity
Custom Category Any method content element
Any standard category
Custom category
Discipline Grouping
Role set grouping
Tool
Custom Category
Guidance - Practice
Discipline Discipline
Guidance
Reference Workflow
Task
Custom category
Discipline
Discipline grouping
Guidance - Practice
Discipline Grouping Discipline
Custom category
Domain Domain
Guidance
1 → Work product
Custom category
Domain
Guidance - Practice
Role Set Guidance
Role
Custom category
Guidance - Practice
Guidance - Practice
Role Set Grouping Role Set
Custom Category
Tool Guidance
Tool mentor
Custom category
Tools
Tools
Work Product Kind Guidance
Work Product
Work Product Kind
Custom category
Guidance - Practice
Work Product kind