Under the present invention, a multidimensional data structure (MDS) is populated with data handling methods. Specifically, each data handling method is stored in the MDS at an address that corresponds to a set of coordinate values. The sets of coordinate values are determined using responses to a plurality of questions. Once the MDS is populated, a data item can then be associated with a particular data handling method using additional responses to the same plurality of questions that are posed with respect to the data item. Specifically, using the additional responses, a set of coordinate values is determined for the data item. The data item is then associated with the data handling method(s) that is stored in the MDS at the address corresponding to the data item's set of coordinate values.