This prostep ivip / VDA Recommendation has been published by the Digital Data Package (DDP) working group.

The DDP defines a standardized container format for the exchange of machine-readable and human-readable product data. It allows the exchange of, as well as the collaboration on semantic product data that is linked across different standard formats and domains across the entire product lifecycle. DDPs can be used within an organization, as well as for data exchange and collaboration with partners, customers, and suppliers.

The digital data package is based on standardized neutral formats such as ReqIF, SysML XMI, STEP AP242, VEC, etc. rather than a multitude of proprietary data formats. This ensures that the DDP is closely linked to the results from standardization committees and the projects in the prostep ivip Association. In addition to format-specific working groups such as the JT WF and SysML WF, these include in particular the Standardization Strategy Board (SSB) as the governing body for defining relevant standards and formats, and the Integration Collaboration Framework (ICF) as a cross-domain integration project.

The data model defined for and used in the DDP, has been aligned with the ICF working group and will also be used and extended in the Collaborative Systems Engineering (CSE) working group.