1. A method for managing data objects stored in a data repository and displaying elements associated with data objects on a graphical user interface, the method including: receiving a rule specification that specifies a ruleset that includes a set of rules, each rule including a set of rule cases that compute values for the rule's output depending on the rule's input, each rule case including one or more input relationships in which a rule case is triggered by a given input record if one or more data values of the given input record meet the one or more input relationships; displaying a first data object representing the ruleset; associating the ruleset with a first stage of a plurality of stages; displaying one or more input elements based on permitted transitions associated with the ruleset and the first stage, each input element representing a permitted transition of the ruleset from the first stage to a different stage among the plurality of stages; in response to user input selecting one of the one or more displayed input elements, associating the ruleset with a second stage of the plurality of stages, in which the selected displayed input element represents the transition from the first stage to the second stage; associating an application program with the ruleset; and executing the application program to process input records and produce outputs according to rules of the ruleset; wherein the graphical user interface enables the displaying of the one or more input elements, the receiving of the user input, the associating of the application program with the ruleset, and the executing of the application program.