1. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having thereon a plurality of computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform a method for formulating a data structure of a particular type that has a particular schema used for validation, in a manner that permits components of the data structure to be optionally transformed while retaining the ability to validate the data structure, the method comprising: an act of formulating a data structure that includes a plurality of components, wherein the data structure is of a particular type that has a particular schema used for validation; and an act of providing information in the data structure that is sufficient to identify one or more transformations that may occur on at least one component of the data structure while still being valid.