One embodiment of the present disclosure is a method of creating metadata during object development. The method comprises receiving a change to an object during its development that results in a changed version of the object, identifying information about the change, and creating metadata comprising the information about the change. The information about the change may include a unique instance identifier identifying and unique to the changed version of the object. As an object is changed multiple times during development, the created metadata may include a series of information segments each relating to a particular change and each uniquely identified by its unique instance identifier. The information about the change may also include, as examples, an identification of a unique instance identifier of a prior version of the object, the time of the change to the object, and/or identification of the software used to make the change. Other embodiments relate to compound objects, part mapping, and modification of ingredients, among other things.