在当今的高科技环境中，政府和行业内部开发了各种管理工具，以管理快速变化的技术环境。工业界对配置管理和数据管理（CM/DM）学科的正规教育有着特殊的需求。简言之，配置管理是对设计和变更控制的严格持续识别。数据管理确保作为合同一部分交付的数据（技术、财务、行政）符合合同要求，并足以满足预期用途或功能（例如:。 g、 后勤、维护、再修复）。

In today's high technology environment, a variety of management tools have been developed within government and industry to govern the fast changing technical environment. There is a particular demand in industry for formal education in the disciplines of Configuration Management and Data Management (CM/DM). Briefly, Configuration Management is the disciplined continuous identification of design and control of changes. Data Management ensures that the data (technical, financial, administrative) delivered as part of a contract comply with contractual requirements and are adequate to satisfy the intended use or functions (e.g. logistics, maintenance, reprocurement).