Patent ID: 7639254

Claim:
A hierarchical data display method of displaying hierarchically-managed data items, comprising: using a processor to perform the steps of: setting in a background indicating a parent hierarchical level, a first area in which parent data items belonging to the parent hierarchical level are displayed and a second area in which child data items belonging to a child hierarchical level and different from the parent data items are displayed, so that the first and second areas are displayed exclusively and without overlapping each other in a display area of every hierarchical level; controlling a display of parent and child data icons respectively representing the parent and child data items while separating the parent and child data icons into each of the first and second areas, zooming in to a desired level, wherein when a zoom in to the desired level is instructed, the display of icons is controlled so that only data items belonging to the desired level and levels subordinate to the desired level are displayed; and zooming out to a desired level, wherein when a zoom out to the desired level is instructed, the display of icons is controlled so that data items belonging to parent level of the desired level are displayed.