NAS 9300-007 - The tracking, control and status control of product data, either as files, or through a database. The usage is frequently confined to the design stage of product development, although may extend to planning for manufacture.

MBE Maturity Index - A capability that manages, controls, and interrelates product data.

CIMdata - Solutions and methodologies used within an enterprise to: 1) organize, access, and control data related to its products, and 2) manage the lifecycle of those products. A single PDM solution may work with CAD, CAM, CAE, other software applications, and with traditional non-computer systems that generate or use product data (such as paper documents). It also provides access and security controls, maintains relationships among product data items, enforce rules that describe and control data flows and processes, and provides notification and messaging facilities. PDM systems are used by managers, administrators, and end-users.

Siemens - Product data management (PDM) is the use of software to manage product data and process-related information in a single, central system.