Patent ID: 7174348

Claim:
A computer-readable storage medium which causes a computer to operate as a server for managing the development of software by several members of a software development team, comprising: a computer program which is stored on said computer-readable storage medium; said computer program including an object-module means for creating and linking objects on a linked object structure, in a database, which hasâ€” a) multiple NODE objects that represent respective phases of a software development project and are linked to one PROJECT object, and b) multiple EXTERNAL_FILE objects that represent respective artifacts which are generated by said team members during said phases of said project; and, said computer program further including a software-development-tool-integration-module means having one interface that interacts with said object-module means and having another interface that interacts over a communication network with personal computers of said team members, forâ€” a) identifying each artifact as the artifact is completed, and in response b) directing said object module means toâ€” 1) create a corresponding EXTERNAL_FILE object in said linked object structure that represents the newly completed artifact, 2) create a corresponding PUBLISHED_DOCUMENT object in said linked object structure which links said corresponding EXTERNAL_FILE object to said PROJECT object, and 3) create a traceability link in said linked object structure between said corresponding EXTERNAL_FILE object and a previously created EXTERNAL_FILE object that represents a previously completed artifact.