Reusable online survey engine

A system for conducting an online survey having one or more questions, the system comprising:

• a memory storage for maintaining a database;
• and
• a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to:
• maintain a survey database comprising said one or more questions and data identifying an input field type for each question;
• maintain a response table, the response table comprising:
• a survey table, the survey table includes a question field that stores the one or more questions and a response field that stores the response associated with the one or more questions;
• a network resource including the online survey;
• and
• a software component for receiving and responding to requests for the online survey, the software component operative to:
• determine whether a previously compiled class file should be utilized to respond to a request for the online survey, create an executable class file capable of generating markup language for displaying the one or more questions and the input fields in a web browser in response to determining that a previously compiled class file should not be utilized, the executable class file can be reused without modification,
• execute the class file, and
• respond to the request with said markup language generated by the execution of the class file.

A computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for conducting an online survey having one or more questions, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

• maintaining a survey database comprising an application name corresponding to the online survey, the application name identifies a software application associated with the one or more questions, a form name, and a version number;
• determining whether a request has been received for a network resource that includes an electronic survey;
• in response to determining that a request for the network resource has been received, determining whether a previously compiled class file should be utilized to respond to the request;
• in response to determining that a previously compiled class file should not be utilized, creating an executable class file capable of retrieving the one or more questions and corresponding input fields from a survey database and generating content capable of displaying said questions and said input fields in a web browser, the executable class file can be reused without modification, wherein creating the executable class file comprises maintaining a response table, the response table comprising the form name, the form name identifies a version number of the survey, a survey table, the survey table includes a question field that stores the one or more questions and a response field that stores the response associated with the one or more questions;
• and
• executing said class file and transmitting said content generated by said class file in response to said request.