Abstract
The representation of information and its exchange in a communication requires the use of a common information model to define the semantics and syntax of the representation and a common dictionary to define the meaning of the data items. These fundamental concepts are the basis of the new standard ISO 10303-235: 'Engineering properties for product design and verification' for the computer representation and exchange of material and any other engineering properties of a product and to provide an audit trail for the derivation of the property value. A related dictionary conforming to ISO 13584 can define testing methods and their properties and enable the information model to be used for any property of any product.