An information processing apparatus comprising: a selected element information input unit adapted to input selected element information which describes a plurality of selected elements, the selected elements being elements selected from a layer other than a highest layer of a layered structure where two or more than two elements in a lower layer are dependent on an element in a higher layer; an element extraction unit adapted to specify, for each selected element of the plurality of selected elements, an element in the higher layer on which the selected element is dependent as a higher element, adapted to determine, for each higher element of a plurality of higher elements specified, the number of selected elements being dependent on the higher element and the number of lower elements being dependent on the higher element and adapted to extract out of the plurality of higher elements, the higher element on which two or more than two selected elements are dependent based on the number of selected elements and the number of lower elements both determined for each higher element; and a selected element information editing unit adapted to reduce the number of elements described in the selected element information by replacing a description of the two or more than two selected elements being dependent on the higher element extracted by the element extraction unit with a description of the higher element extracted by the element extraction unit; wherein the element extraction unit extracts, when the number of selected elements being defined as α and the number of lower elements being defined as β, the higher element on which the two or more than two selected elements are dependent and satisfies a condition of ( β /2)+1≤ α. a selected element information input unit adapted to input selected element information which describes a plurality of selected elements, the selected elements being elements selected from a layer other than a highest layer of a layered structure where two or more than two elements in a lower layer are dependent on an element in a higher layer; an element extraction unit adapted to specify, for each selected element of the plurality of selected elements, an element in the higher layer on which the selected element is dependent as a higher element, adapted to determine, for each higher element of a plurality of higher elements specified, the number of selected elements being dependent on the higher element and the number of lower elements being dependent on the higher element and adapted to extract out of the plurality of higher elements, the higher element on which two or more than two selected elements are dependent based on the number of selected elements and the number of lower elements both determined for each higher element; and a selected element information editing unit adapted to reduce the number of elements described in the selected element information by replacing a description of the two or more than two selected elements being dependent on the higher element extracted by the element extraction unit with a description of the higher element extracted by the element extraction unit; wherein the element extraction unit extracts, when the number of selected elements being defined as α and the number of lower elements being defined as β, the higher element on which the two or more than two selected elements are dependent and satisfies a condition of ( β /2)+1≤ α.