1. A method of consistency checking design representations, executed by a data processing system and comprising: receiving a first design representation of a first design type; receiving a second design representation of a second design type; applying a first translator for the first design type to the first design representation to yield first information about a predetermined aspect of the first design representation; applying a second translator for the second design type to the second design representation to yield second information about the predetermined aspect of the second design representation; and evaluating at least one consistency rule in accordance with the first and second information, the evaluation process not knowing the design types from which the first and second information was obtained.