1. A computer system for controlling actions in a computer-based process, the system comprising: a first status schema model defined at design-time, applicable to a data object node and stored in computer-readable medium, the first status schema model including at least one precondition, a precondition identifying how a status affects whether an action is to be allowed to be performed at runtime by a data object node instance having the status, a second status schema model defined at design-time, applicable to the same data object node and stored in computer-readable medium, the second status schema model including at least one precondition, and instructions stored in computer-readable medium that, when executed, perform operations comprising: determining only one of the first and second status schema models that is to be used to create a status schema instance corresponding to the data object node; creating a status schema instance for a particular data object node instance being used in a computer-based process, the status schema instance corresponding to the determined one of the first and second status schema model, and the data object node instance including values for variables and methods capable of being performed by the data object node instance; based on the status schema instance, monitoring status of the data object node instance to determine whether a particular action is allowed to be performed by the data object node instance; and in response to a determination that the particular action is allowed, enabling the particular action to be executed.