Software development tool using a structured format to generate software code

1. A method for automated development and implementation of software, comprising:

acquiring a set of terms usable to generate at least one parameter-based requirement, wherein the terms include attributes;

storing, in a storage device, a glossary including the terms and the attributes;

collecting at least one system requirement from a user based on the terms stored in the glossary;

generating the at least one parameter-based requirement based on the terms stored in the glossary and the at least one system requirement, wherein the at least one parameter-based requirement is machine-executable;

creating an artifact based on the at least one parameter-based requirement, wherein the artifact comprises a test case;

generating a machine-executable requirements model based on the at least one parameter-based requirement, wherein said machine-executable requirements model is generated by a requirements simulator; and

executing said machine-executable requirements model via said requirements simulator in accordance with said test case, wherein said executing said machine-executable requirements model comprises:

generating at least one expected result from said test case;

deriving at least one test execution flow which incorporates term data and contains at least one process flow diagram representing a sequence of execution through said requirements model that contributed to the at least one expected result;

displaying the at least one process flow diagram and at least one hyperlink related to said incorporated term data; and

selecting the at least one hyperlink to navigate to a term definition, said term definition being stored in said glossary.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein collecting comprises collecting at least one business requirement from the user and the at least one parameter-based requirement is generated based on the at least one business requirement.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first one of the attributes comprises metadata selected from a group consisting of meaning, source, usage, persistence, hyperlinked references, validation rule, and design artifact.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the artifact further comprises requirements documentation, supporting documentation, management report, or production code.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein storing comprises storing the glossary in an open format.

6. A method for developing and generating parameter-based requirements, comprising:

acquiring a set of terms usable to generate at least one parameter-based requirement, wherein the terms include attributes;

storing, in a glossary on a storage device, the terms and the attributes;

receiving user input based on the terms stored in the glossary;

generating the at least one parameter-based requirement based on the terms stored in the glossary and the user input, wherein the at least one parameter-based requirement is machine-executable;

creating an artifact based on the at least one parameter-based requirement, wherein the artifact comprises a test case;

generating a machine-executable requirements model based on the at least one parameter-based requirement, wherein said machine-executable requirements model is generated by a requirements simulator; and

executing said machine-executable requirements model via said requirements simulator in accordance with said test case, wherein said executing said machine-executable requirements model comprises:

generating at least one expected result from said test case;

deriving at least one test execution flow which incorporates term data and contains at least one process flow diagram representing a sequence of execution through said requirements model that contributed to the at least one expected result;

displaying the at least one process flow diagram and at least one hyperlink related to said incorporated term data; and

selecting the at least one hyperlink to navigate to a term definition, said term definition being stored in said glossary.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein acquiring comprises acquiring terms usable to gather data for generating the at least one parameter-based requirement.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein acquiring comprises acquiring terms usable to format data for generating the at least one parameter-based requirement.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein acquiring comprises acquiring terms usable to validate data for generating the at least one parameter-based requirement.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the user input is restricted based on the terms.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein generating the at least one parameter-based requirement comprises:

formatting the at least one parameter-based requirement based on the terms and the user input; and

validating the at least one parameter-based requirement based on the terms and the user input.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the artifact further comprises requirements documentation, supporting documentation, a management report, or production code.

13. The method of claim 6 , wherein acquiring comprises modifying the terms.

14. The method of claim 6 , wherein acquiring comprises altering the attributes.

15. The method of claim 6 , wherein an attribute among the attributes comprises metadata selected from a group consisting of meaning, source, usage, persistence, hyperlinked references, validation rule, and design artifact.

16. A system for developing and generating parameter-based requirements, comprising:

means for acquiring a set of terms usable to generate at least one parameter-based requirement, wherein the terms include attributes;

a storage device for storing the terms and the attributes in a glossary;

means for receiving user input based on the terms stored in the glossary;

means for generating the at least one parameter-based requirement based on the terms stored in the glossary and the user input, wherein the at least one parameter-based requirement is machine-executable;

means for creating an artifact based on the at least one parameter-based requirement, wherein the artifact comprises a test case;

means for generating a machine-executable requirements model based on the at least one parameter-based requirement, wherein said machine-executable requirements model is generated by a requirements simulator; and

means for executing said machine-executable requirements model via said requirements simulator in accordance with said test case, wherein said executing said machine-executable requirements model comprises:

means for generating at least one expected result from said test case;

means for deriving at least one test execution flow which incorporates term data and contains at least one process flow diagram representing a sequence of execution through said requirements model that contributed to the at least one expected result;

means for displaying the at least one process flow diagram and at least one hyperlink related to said incorporated term data; and

means for selecting the at least one hyperlink to navigate to a term definition, said term definition being stored in said glossary.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the means for acquiring acquires terms usable to gather data for generating the at least one parameter-based requirement.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the means for acquiring acquires terms usable to validate data for generating the at least one parameter-based requirement.

19. The system of claim 17 , further comprising means for restricting the user input based on the terms.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the means for generating comprises:

means for formatting the at least one parameter-based requirement based on the terms and the user input; and

means for validating the at least one parameter-based requirement based on the terms and the user input.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the artifact further comprises requirements documentation, supporting documentation, a management report, or production code.

22. The system of claim 16 , wherein the means for acquiring comprises means for modifying the terms.

23. The system of claim 16 , wherein the means for acquiring comprises means for altering the attributes.

24. The system of claim 16 , wherein an attribute among the attributes comprises metadata selected from a group consisting of meaning, source, usage, persistence, hyperlinked references, validation rule, and design artifact.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for execution by a processor to implement a method for developing and generating parameter-based requirements, the method comprising:

acquiring a set of terms usable to generate at least one parameter-based requirement, wherein the terms include attributes;

storing the terms and the attributes in a glossary;

receiving user input based on the terms stored in the glossary;

generating the at least one parameter-based requirement based on the terms stored in the glossary and the user input, wherein the at least one parameter-based requirement is machine-executable;

creating an artifact based on the at least one parameter-based requirement, wherein the artifact comprises a test case;

generating a machine-executable requirements model based on the at least one parameter-based requirement, wherein said machine-executable requirements model is generated by a requirements simulator; and

executing said machine-executable requirements model via said requirements simulator in accordance with said test case, wherein said executing said machine-executable requirements model comprises:

generating at least one expected result from said test case;

deriving at least one test execution flow which incorporates term data and contains at least one process flow diagram representing a sequence of execution through said requirements model that contributed to the at least one expected result;

displaying the at least one process flow diagram and at least one hyperlink related to said incorporated term data; and

selecting the at least one hyperlink to navigate to a term definition, said term definition being stored in said glossary.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein acquiring comprises acquiring terms usable to gather data for generating the at least one parameter-based requirement.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 26 , wherein acquiring comprises acquiring terms usable to format data for generating the at least one parameter-based requirement.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 26 , wherein the user input is restricted based on the terms.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28 , wherein generating the at least one parameter-based requirement comprises:

formatting the at least one parameter-based requirement based on the terms and the user input; and

validating the at least one parameter-based requirement based on the terms and the user input.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29 , wherein the artifact further comprises requirements documentation, supporting documentation, a management report, or production code.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein acquiring comprises modifying the terms.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein acquiring comprises altering the attributes.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the attributes comprise metadata selected from a group consisting of meaning, source, usage, persistence, hyperlinked references, validation rule, and design artifact.

34. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the artifact further comprises production code, and further comprising modifying the production code to reflect an update to the first attribute.

35. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a first one of the attributes is a storage location of data, and further comprising modifying the test case to reflect the update to the storage location.