A method for analyzing the temporal behavior of gene expression for a group of genes which are part of a biological system or subsystem. Preferably, such an analysis enables the order of expression of such genes to be determined. More preferably, the temporal behavior of gene expression is assessed according to the analysis of the kinetics of gene transcription. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the kinetics of gene transcription are measured according to promoter activity of a plurality of genes. More preferably, such kinetics are measured in a living organism or a portion of such an organism, such as a cell for example. For single-celled organisms, such as bacteria for example, the kinetics may easily be measured for the entirety of the living organism.