Supremacy doesn't have a limit on how many structures you can build in a system. There isn't therefore much in the way of strategy in developing colonies, except for the allocation of population units to production types. It's very easy to switch the focus of a system from say research to industry, for example when upgrading something. It's handy, but it's not really very interesting, or even logical (to have a bunch of unused structures that are manned only when needed).
Elaborating on what I have mentioned in the past, limiting in some way the number of structures that can be built in a system, I'd like to suggest implementing Infrastructures in the game. Infrastructures can be stuff like roads, bridges, transportation, power lines, storage facilities, whatever. In order for a structure to get built, it needs infrastrcture to support it. Civilian population builds infrastructures every turn, the more pop in the system the faster the infrastructure is built (the Construction tech level could probably produce a small increase too) - so the inhabitability of a system (and growth rate because they're linked) also plays a role on infrastructure construction speed thereby making more hospitable system (as a whole) develop faster. Unlike inhabitability, infrastructure potential only depends on planet size, not type. Something like:
Huge=30, Large=20, Medium=15, Small=10, Tiny=6
The mechanics are easy. I can only build another structure in the system if the # of infrastructures currently built on the system is higher (by at least one) than the # of structures already built (orbital structures don't count towards this of course).
As for construction rate, since a Colony Ship I has a Work Force value of 50, systems should start with a # of infrastructures equal to the # of structures they start with (which depends on colony ship level and current tech level), and 50 pop should build 0.5 infrastructures per turn (pop/100). That means every other turn one structure can be built, early in the life of a system. When it reaches 100 pop, it can sustain one structure built per turn (up to the system's max of course). This value (100) should go in the definition files, so it can be modded. Notice that colony ships II and III (Work Force 100 and 150 respectively) make the systems develop faster.
Additionally, infrastructures could increase the defense rating of the system by a small amount (cover, war effort, key points that have to be taken, etc), but since ground combat is still not defined it's no use thowing numbers around.
Whenever a system is bombarded and/or invaded (sabotaged, probably not), some infrastructures should be destroyed. Again, no numbers yet.

As an example, colony ship I colonizing a 250 pop system, for simplicity with one Huge and one Tiny Ideal planets.
The system starts with 50 pop, and 15 structures (3/6/2/2/2).
Starting infrastructures = 15.00 (Max = 36.00 [30+6])
1st turn: pop = 52(.5) ; infrastructures = 15.52
2nd turn: pop = 55(.1) ; infrastructures = 16.07 -> build one structure
etc

Notice the system can have 25 pop units, and 36 structures built - there's some *limited* flexibility. In the long run, it doesn't make too much difference, but there is an effect on the initial development. The numbers provided are mere placeholders, they can be tweaked.
An alternative would be to use as infrastructures cap the max pop unit value for each planet type as if it was Ideal (instead of those I mentioned above), but that would make The Great Link and system with only Ideal planets have no flexibility at all.

That is a good idea. In a way you have some limit by power, tech level and population but a more direct limit on the number of structures make sense too. A more interconnected set of limitations and abilities....

Base structures don't require power... they don't require pop to *exist*... tech level only unlocks special structures...

Would you, or anyone else, be willing to outline a flowchart of an improved development structure for the major races?

It should, in general, build on the information at http://www.trekmania.net/temp_files/botf2_home.htm

It should take into account the unique structure of each society.

I think we need a solid, stable, fixed release and database, with a working editor. It'll be easier to work on it when there's more info on what's coming too.


Back to the topic, I don't see much of a point in a Colony Ship I building 15 structures in a newly colonized system, when it carries only 50 pop. Why the research and intel facilities? They're not fundamental for a new colony. Why 6 industry structures? It could very well do with 5 or 6 initial structures (2/3 food, 2 industry, 1 energy) - scaling to work force of course. Even the energy structure is not that critical, you'll need it if you want to build a shipyard (and have no special energy structures available), but then again a shipyard shouldn't really be the first thing you should build in a newly formed colony.