1. A method for creating a persistent association between a factory automation parameter of a container application operative within a computing environment and a property of a contained object instantiated within said computing environment, wherein said property relates to attributes of said contained object and said container application is configured to provide a visual interface representative of states of said factory automation parameter, said method comprising the steps of: defining a persistent associative relationship between said factory automation parameter and said property, said persistent associative relationship being determinative of the extent to which changes in said factory automation parameter and said property will induce corresponding changes in the other; and recording said persistent associative relationship within a property sink of a control site of said container application, said control site being created upon instantiation of said contained object within said computing environment wherein said contained object facilitates provision of a visual indication of ones of said states of said factory automation parameter.