Design tool and methodology for enterprise software applications

A server that communicates with clients via a distributed computing network, and wherein the server comprises:

• (a)a memory storing an instruction set and data related to the simulation model;
• and
• (b)a processor for running the instruction set, the processor being in communication with the memory and the distributed computing network, wherein the processor is operative to create a simulation model for a complex enterprise software solution by performing the following steps:
• (i) present a text canvas that includes a table to represent a solution to a request for software code that addresses a problem such that an editor is able to modify text of the table and, thereby, enable coupling and decoupling of individual words and phrases within the text to components of the simulation model through use of a graphical overlay such that navagation is enabled;
• (ii) present an interactive schematic canvas that includes expandable icons and multi-dimensional heirarchical expandable groups of icons arranged on a circle to represent the navigational elements of a solution such that a system architect is able to navigate and modify the expandable icons and, thereby, enable coupling and decoupling of individual icons, groups of icons, containing circles, and groups of containing circles to components of the simulation model through use of a graphical overlay such that navigation is enabled;
• (iii) present a data canvas that includes a branching structure with a plurality of nodes to represent the solution such that a data analyst is able to navigate and modify the branching structure and, thereby, enable coupling and decoupling of the plurality of nodes within the branching structure to components of the simulation model through use of a graphical overlay such that navigation is enabled;
• and
• (iv) present a user interface canvas that uses graphics to represent the solution such that a user interface designer is able to modify the graphics and, thereby, enable coupling and decoupling of the graphics to components of the simulation model through use of a graphical overlay such that navigation is enabled,
• wherein the canvases are related to form a conceptual construct such that a modification to one canvas is promulgated to at least one other canvas within the conceptual construct so that the editor, system architect, data analyst and user interface designer effectively communicate together while using the corresponding canvas,
• wherein the editor, system architect, data analyst and user interface designer create notation that elements in the respective canvas are uncertain, and display that the uncertain elements are in conflict and require reconciliation selected from the group consisting of accepting at least one of the uncertain elements, correcting at least one of the uncertain elements, and annotating at least one of the uncertain elements as a known but unresolved discontinuity,
• wherein the navigation is enabled across all of the canvases.

A computer readable medium for use in a computer network, the computer readable medium containing instructions that are able to prompt a server in the computer network to perform the steps of:

• creating a virtual construct for a complex enterprise software by:
• a) presenting a canvas designed for a first audience that enters data related to the complex enterprise software into the canvas, such that the data represents proposed components of the complex enterprise software;
• and
• b) creating additional canvases based upon the complex enterprise software data, the additional canvases being designed for a second audience, such that the second audience can recognize the proposed components, accept proposal components, and reject proposed components, wherein
• (i)a text canvas is presented that includes a table to represent a solution to a request for software code that addresses a problem such that an editor is able to modify text of the table and, thereby, enable coupling and decoupling of individual words and phrases within the text to components of the simulation model through use of a graphical overlay such that navigation is enabled;
• (ii) an interactive schematic canvas is presented that includes expandable icons and multi-dimensional hierarchical expandable groups of icons arranged on a circle to represent the navigational elements of a solution such that a system architect is able to navigate and modify the expandable icons and, thereby, enable coupling and decoupling of individual icons, groups of icons, containing circles, and groups of containing circles to components of the simulation model through use of a graphical overlay such that navigation is enabled;
• (iii) at data canvas is presented that includes a branching structure with a plurality of nodes to represent the solution such that a data analyst is able to navigate and modify the branching structure and, thereby, enable coupling and decoupling of the plurality of nodes within the branching structure to components of the simulation model through use of a graphical overlay such that navigation is enabled;
• and
• (iv) a user interface canvas is presented that uses graphics to represent the solution such that a user interface designer is able to modify the graphics and, thereby, enable coupling and decoupling of the graphics to components of the simulation model through use of a graphical overlay such that navigation is enabled,
• wherein the editor, system architect, data analyst and user interface designer create notation that elements in the respective canvas are uncertain, and display that the uncertain elements are in conflict and require reconciliation selected from the group consisting of accepting at least one of the uncertain elements, correcting at least one of the uncertain elements, and annotating at least one of the uncertain elements as a known but unresolved discontinuity.