Patent ID: 8682840

Claim:
A method, comprising: determining, via a processor of a system, a plurality of descriptive data characteristics of each of a plurality of types of data instances that are each defined by and instantiable within the system from an associated data instance schema, where the plurality of descriptive data characteristics are usable to assign information within the system to instantiated data instances of the plurality of types of data instances and to assign associations between the instantiated data instances of the plurality of types of data instances; creating a plurality of relationship schemas that each represent at least one of the plurality of descriptive data characteristics of each of the plurality of data types and that each decouple relationship information from and are independent of the instantiated data instances of the plurality of types of data instances and are independent of the associated data instance schemas; determining descriptive data characteristic relationships between the plurality of relationship schemas; and associating at least one data instance instantiated from the associated data instance schema with one or more of the descriptive data characteristic relationships via one or more of the plurality of relationship schemas, where the at least one data instance is movable within the system to other descriptive data characteristic relationships by re-association of the at least one data instance with other of the plurality of relationship schemas without modification of the at least one data instance or modification of the associated data instance schema.