14. A computer system to implement procedure for responding to one or more configuration queries using configuration sub-models, the system comprising: a processor; and a storage medium having data encoded therein, the data comprising processor executable code for: receiving one or more configuration queries from one or more computer systems; dividing one or more configuration queries into multiple configuration sub-queries, wherein the one or more configuration queries represent one or more questions involving parts and part relationships in a configuration of a configurable product, the multiple configuration sub-queries represent the one or more configuration queries, and the parts represent a composition of matter of the configurable product; processing each sub-query using at least one configuration sub-model per sub-query, wherein the configuration sub-models collectively model a configurable product; generating a response to the one or more configuration queries based upon the processing of each sub-query using at least one configuration sub-model per sub-query; and providing the response to the one or more configuration queries as data for display by a display device.
15. The computer system of claim 14 wherein each configuration sub-model includes data to define compatibility relationships between parts included in the configuration sub-model and each configuration sub-model (i) represents a portion of a configuration model of the configurable product and (ii) allows answers from each configuration sub-model to be combined to provide a consolidated answer to the one or more configuration queries.