Module 5 - Intellectual Property & Innovation

Several separate but related topics will be covered in this module. First, an IP process must exist. An IP process provides the means to capture and raise to decisionmaking-level visibility the ideas, concepts, and products that are candidates for increased formal IP registration and those that need protection but not necessarily through registration. A cross-functional process will be presented for discussion.

Second, the current state of industry practices will be discussed. GGI's 2004 Product Development Metrics Survey researched the various processes and methods that industry uses today - specifically those that relate to R&D and product development activities and the types of IP that were most usually focused upon. Copyrights, Trademarks, Patents, and internal Trade Secrets and Company Confidential will all be discussed at some level.

Third, the process of valuing IP and weighing the value against the cost of registration will be covered. This subject will conclude at the point of making a go/no go decision for either registration and/or internal protection. While still on the innovation playing field, issues relating to the management of ongoing portfolios of IP are beyond the scope of this Innovation Summit.

Fourth, the considerations and issues associated with international registration and costs will be highlighted and put forth for discussion.

Fifth, available public resources for capturing, evaluating, and deciding on IP will be inventoried and discussed so attendees leave with a "tool box."

The goal of this module is to provide attendees with the basic constructs of converting innovations into protectable intellectual property. Ongoing IP management issues are beyond the scope of this discussion.

Exercise #3: A multi-faceted exercise will be conducted at the end of the module. Copyright, Trademark, and Patent forms will drive the exercise. [We are still formulating the details of this exercise. If you register, we may ask you to bring an opportunity you are currently working on. We will provide you with a more specific phrasing of any requests of this type at a later date.]