System and method for facilitating software development

A computer-based system for aiding a developer in developing an application program that conforms to plant standards, comprising:

• first means for storing a plurality of module templates, wherein each said module template is a pre-developed software module that performs a function in conformance with the plant standards, each of said plurality of module templates having at least one baseline having at least one baseline property;
• second means for providing a design template to the developer, wherein said design template comprises project requirements and specifications for the application and specifies one or more functions performed by said module templates;
• a software development workstation, coupled to said first and second means, for providing a development platform on which the developer develops the application program, wherein the application program includes mainline code that evaluates conditions, and calls said module template to perform said specified function in accordance with said project requirements and specification provided by said design template;
• third means for checking-out from said module template library an instance of said plurality of module templates for use in the application program;
• fourth means for extracting and retaining said baseline object and said baseline property from within said module template instance when checking-out said module template instance from said module template library;
• fifth means for developing mainline code for the application program on a development platform in accordance with said project requirements and specifications provided by said design template, wherein said mainline code evaluates conditions, and calls said module template instance to perform said specified function;
• sixth means for modifying said checked-out module template instance during said developing;
• seventh means for checking-in said module template instance into said module template library after the completion of said developing;
• eighth means for extracting a check-in object and a check-in property respective to said baseline object and baseline property from within said module template instance when checking-in said module template instance into said module template library;
• ninth means for comparing said check-in object and said check-in property against said baseline object and said baseline property;
• tenth means for defining said module template instance as a new module template instance if said comparing indicates a difference between said check-in object and said check-in property when compared against said baseline object and said baseline property;
• eleventh means for firstly examining said new module template instance to determine if it conforms with said plant standards;
• twelfth means for, if said new module template instance is determined to be in conformance with said plant standards, secondly examining said new module template instance to determine if it is generic;
• thirteenth means for, if said new module template instance is determined to be generic, holding said new module template instance in a candidate module library update set;
• and
• fourteenth means for periodically upgrading said module template library to include said candidate module library update set,
• wherein only one instance of each of said plurality of module templates is maintained and thus all application programs calling one of said plurality of module templates perform said specified function in conformance with plant standards.