Patent ID: 7337029

Claim:
A computer-readable portable storage medium storing a design data management program to direct a computer to manage design data generated at a designing side of a product to be produced at a production side based on the design data, the program comprising: a step of converting the design data generated at the designing side in a first format to design data in a second format that is applicable to the production side; a step of transmitting the design data in the second format to the production side; a step of converting the design data in the first format to design data in a third format that is described in a predetermined language; a step of storing the design data in the third format in a storage device; a step of receiving from the production side design change data in a fourth format that indicates a change made to the design data in the second format in producing the product, the product being produced with the design change data without approval from the designing side; a step of converting the design change data in the fourth format to design change data in the third format; a step of storing the design change data in the third format in the storage device; and a step of converting information about a purchase of a part used in the product on the production side into purchase data described in the predetermined language and storing the purchase data in the storage device upon receipt of the information about the purchase of the part.