Siebel Partner Relationship Management Administration Guide > Managing Design Programs >

About Design Programs

A design program is a collaborative activity involving two organizations:

• The first organization makes products that can be included as a component in various products.
• The second organization manufactures products that might include the former's components.

Often, but not always, design programs also involve a third organization, which is a business partner (distributor, reseller, and so on) of the first organization. Typically, the first organization is referred to as the component manufacturer (or, component supplier), and the latter as the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).

A design program is an opportunity business component that includes one or more design opportunities. A design opportunity is a convenient mechanism to divide a design program into smaller activities, so that you can track and manage them independently. For example, different people might have to approve different parts of a design program. Subdividing the design program into several design opportunities allows you to accomplish assign it to different people.

In addition, a design opportunity might include one or more design registrations. A design registration is a mechanism to establish exclusive rights over a design opportunity. The design registration process is designed, so that a design opportunity can have only one approved design registration at any time.

NOTE:  A design registration is always associated with a design opportunity, which in turn is always associated with a design program.