Device and method for managing a plurality of documents

A document management device comprising:

• a storage configured to store a plurality of documents in each of a plurality of development processes;
• and
• a processor configured to perform a document management process comprising:
• identifying a specified document with which at least one of a first association, a second association and a third association has not been performed among the plurality of documents;
• causing a user to identify the specified document for which at least one of the first association, the second association, and the third association is to be confirmed;
• sequentially retrieving, from the specified document, a document with which at least one of the first association, the second association, and the third association has been performed in an upstream direction and a downstream direction of the development process to which the specified document belongs;
• and
• specifying the development process in which at least one of the first association, the second association and the third association has not been established;
• and
• outputting information relating to the specified document,
• wherein the identifying includes
• specifying a first document with which the first association has not been performed, the first document being stored in the storage apparatus and belonging to a most downstream development process in the plurality of development processes and the first association indicating that the first document is changed according to change in another document that belongs to a downstream development process, and
• specifying a second document with which neither the second association nor the third association has not been performed, the second document being stored in the storage apparatus and belonging to a development process that is neither a most upstream development process nor the most downstream development process in the plurality of development processes, the second association indicating that when the second document is changed, a downstream document that belongs to a downstream development process is changed according to change in the second document, and the third association indicating that when an upstream document that belongs to the upstream development process is changed, the second document is changed according to change in the upstream document.

A document management method by using a computer, the method comprising:

• referencing a storage apparatus that stores a plurality of documents in each of a plurality of development processes;
• identifying a specified document with which at least one of a first association, a second association and a third association has not been performed among the plurality of documents;
• causing a user to identify the specified document for which at least one of the first association, the second association, and the third association is to be confirmed;
• sequentially retrieving, from the specified document, a document with which at least one of the first association, the second association, and the third association has been performed in an upstream direction and a downstream direction of the development process to which the specified document belongs;
• and
• specifying the development process in which at least one of the first association, the second association and the third association has not been established;
• and
• outputting information relating to the specified document,
• wherein the identifying includes
• specifying a first document with which the first association has not been performed, the first document being stored in the storage apparatus and belonging to a most downstream development process in the plurality of development processes and the first association indicating that the first document is changed according to change in another document that belongs to an upstream development process, and
• specifying a second document with which neither the second association nor the third association has not been performed, the second document being stored in the storage apparatus and belonging to a development process that is neither a most upstream development process nor the most downstream development process in the plurality of development processes, the second association indicating that when the second document is changed, a downstream document that belongs to a downstream development process is changed according to change in the second document, and the third association indicating that when an upstream document that belongs to the upstream development process is changed, the second document is changed according to change in the upstream document.