A method of preserving a content model of an element during a transformation from a structured document that describes the content model of the element into a computer program includes inputting the structured document into a transformation processor. The method continues with the transformation processor parsing the element into a group of fundamental constructs. The method also includes the transformation processor converting each of the fundamental constructs to a plurality of computer program objects and a content model descriptor that corresponds to each of the computer program objects. The content model descriptor includes the information included in the content model of the element.