1. A method implemented in a computer system for storing a database characterization of a set, aggregate, or composite of elements of a functional system, or of a representation of those elements, the method comprising: electronically storing a set of data entities in a database system, the data entities corresponding to elements of a functional system, wherein the functional system comprises a group of elements ordered by their functional roles in converting inputs to outputs, or as the inputs, or as the outputs; electronically assigning the data entity corresponding to an element one or more functional attributes represented as an electronic tag, wherein the functional attributes characterize the roles of the elements in a process of converting inputs to outputs; selecting multiple elements, or a representation of those elements, characterized by data entities for inclusion in a set, aggregate, or composite; segmenting the selected elements, or a representation of those elements, into two or more defined groups based on the electronic tags representing the functional attributes associated with the corresponding elements, wherein the first group shares a first common functional attribute, and the second group shares a second common functional attribute; electronically accessing the database representation of the segmented groups; electronically iterating through the accessed representation to compute a negative or positive weight for one or more of the elements, or a representation of those elements, based on the one or more segmented groups; and assigning the negative or positive weight to the one or more of the elements, or a representation of those elements; and electronically storing the assigned weight in the database system.