1. A method for specifying using a data processing system comprising the steps of: reading a first list from a dictionary database; attempting to match a set of user input to the first list to select a first element; if a definitive match is not made, displaying a list of possible first elements from the first list and permitting selection of a member of the possible first elements list; reading a second list from the dictionary database based upon the selected first element; attempting to match the set of user input to the second list to select a second element; if a definitive match is not made, displaying a list of possible second elements from the second list and permitting selection of a member of the possible second element list; reading a third list from the dictionary database based upon the selected first element and the selected second element; attempting to match the set of user input to the third list to select a set of third elements and corresponding third element values; if a definitive match is not made, displaying a list of possible third elements from the third list and permitting selection of a set of third elements of the possible third element list and entry of corresponding third element values; composing a specification from the selected member of the first list, the selected member of the second list, and the selected set of third elements and corresponding third element values.