Patent ID: 8918520

Claim:
A method for exchanging information between collaborative entities, the method comprising: operatively associating, by a directory management portal, a first entity with a transaction directory through the directory management portal, the transaction directory being configured to permit establishment of a first connection between the first entity and a translation engine for permitting a transaction to occur through the first connection; connecting, by the directory management portal, a second entity to the translation engine to permit the transaction to occur between the first entity and the second entity, the transaction including an exchange of information associated with a product design between the first entity and the second entity, wherein the directory management portal permits the first entity to monitor and change the first connection to the translation engine using a transaction template selected from a library to create a transaction definition for exchanging information with the second entity; accessing information associated with the first and second entities and effecting transactions, by the translation engine, via the first connection through the translation engine; permitting, by the directory management portal, the first entity to create a second connection to data associated with a non-subscribing entity, wherein the non-subscribing entity does not have access to the directory management portal; receiving, at the directory management portal, a query for an existing process related to the product design; in response to the query, searching, by the directory management portal, private repositories associated with the first entity and the second entity and public repositories accessible by the first entity and the second entity for the existing process; executing, by the directory management portal, a variety of scenarios with different components and suppliers to determine an impact on the product design; and associating, by the directory management portal, components of the product design with production steps to forecast a cost for producing the product design.