A management apparatus which manages a parameter for an industrial device
acquires AGA measurement results obtained by operating the industrial
device with an operation job parameter value and non-operation job
parameter value. An inspection apparatus acquires an "inspection result"
obtained by inspecting the result of operating the industrial device in
the operation job. A change in inspection result upon a change in
parameter value is estimated on the basis of the AGA measurement result
and inspection result. A variable which minimizes (extreme) both or at
least one of the sensitivity (slope) of the inspection result upon a
change in parameter value and variations (3.sigma.) in inspection result
between objects to be processed (e.g., wafers) is set as an optimal
parameter.