Quality Counts!!

GOAL

“Provide our customers with the highest levels of quality and service in all aspects of PTO operations”

Creating a Quality System for the New Millennium

• Four decades of quality activities

• Vision of an Integrated Quality System

• Where we are today:– Issues, Enablers, and Barriers

• Strategy for Achieving the Vision

Historical Perspectives

• 1960’s Commissioner’s study– created Patent Academy

• 1970’s Office of Patent Quality review

• 1980’s Deming management influences – Total Quality Management– Continuous Quality Improvement– Trademark Quality Review

• 1990’s - the Reengineering decade– emphasis on customer service and satisfaction

Historical Programs and Organizations Concerned with:

• Validity of the patent• Registrability of mark• Completeness of the action• Completeness of the search• Timeliness of services• Efficiency of the process• Quality of the service• Feedback from customers

PTO Quality ManagementObjective

• Establish a Quality Management System as a Key Business Focus for the PTO

Characteristics of a Quality Management System

• Quality is judged by customers• Customer-driven quality is viewed as a strategic

concept• Customer requirements and service standards are

reflected in strategic and operational planning• Processes are developed to meet customer needs• Measurement systems are developed to track

progress

Characteristics of a Quality Management System

• Information is collected and used to improve work processes and the products and services delivered to customers

• Employees throughout the PTO understand how their work supports customer satisfaction

• Quality is designed into production and delivery processes to support efficiency and problem prevention (do the right job right every time to eliminate rework, eliminate non value added steps in a process to improve quality and efficiency)

Quality Management Initiative

• Existing PTO organizations operate in a matrix manner to assist in coordinating and facilitating PTO quality programs– Quality Council composed of representatives

from all organizational components including Unions

– communication across PTO to share information, best practices, lessons learned

– build consistency

Quality Management Initiative

• Quality Management Office - reports directly to Commissioner– Full time staff and contract resources to support effort– Provides expertise and support for quality initiatives– Coordinates and facilitates PTO quality programs– Chairs Quality Council– Works through Quality Council to accomplish PTO-wide

quality objectives– Patent Quality Review, Trademark Quality Review and

Center for Quality Services report to Office of Quality Management

Vision of an Integrated Quality System

• Guide PTO towards performance excellence– Commitment

– Coordination

– Communication

• Three-way Focus– The Customer Focus

– The Employee Focus

– The Organizational Focus

The Customer Focus

• Supports Patent mission:

– To Help Our Customers Get Patents• Integrates customer expectations into patent processes,

products and services

• Supports Trademark goal:

– Improve Customer Satisfaction

The Employee Focus

• Promotes commitment to quality

• Encourages dedication, loyalty, and a pride in our jobs and the PTO

• Seeks involvement throughout all levels of the PTO

• Fosters employee empowerment

• Partners with Unions

The Organizational Focus

• Addresses every step of each important process and service

• Encourages development of the workforce

• Has active support of all levels of PTO management

• Provides a credible quality program that is perceived as accurate by employees, management, and customers

Baldrige Criteria as a System

U.S. Patent and Trademark OfficeU.S. Patent and Trademark Office

IdentifyCustomer Needs/

Requirements

Establish Mission,Vision, Values, &

Leadership System

Develop Goals& Strategies

Define Measuresof Success &Collect Data

Achieve Excellent Levels &Trends in All Key Measures

Create & ManageHuman Resource

Systems

Define, Measure,Control, & ImproveKey Work Processes

PROCESSES/SYSTEMS

STRATEGIC PLANNING

DATA/MEASURES

CUSTOMER FOCUS LEADERSHIP

HUMAN RESOURCE

FOCUS

BUSINESS RESULTS

Office of Patent Quality Review:Functions

• Assessment of quality – substantive review– questions on patentability standard– Allowed review program (end process

review)– in process application review

• Detection of trends • Quality improvement efforts

Office of Trademark Quality Review:Functions

• Assessment of quality

– substantive review

– determine quality of examination

– review trademark application in various stages of pendency (pending, abandoned, registered)

• Detection of trends

• Quality improvement efforts

Center for Quality Services:External Customer Focus

• Customer Surveys

• Customer Service Training

• Customer Focus Sessions

• Measurement and Customer Satisfaction

• Facilitate Change to Improve Customer Satisfaction

1999 Results - Patents Key Drivers

95 96 98 99Overall satisfaction 51 50 52 57Return calls 49 47 48 57Direct promptly 44 42 52 64Clear written communication 45 41 56 63Thorough search 47 45 56 64

1999 Results - Trademark Key Drivers

95 96 98 99Overall satisfaction 64 65 63 69Return calls 55 44 50 59Direct promptly 58 58 63 69Clear communication 65 68 74 77Treat with Courtesy 80 80 84 8713 Month Registration 39 31 37 42Filing Notice - 14 Days 54 31 31 33

• 95 96 98 99

• Overall satisfaction 64 65 63 69

• Return calls 55 44 50 59

• Direct promptly 58 58 63 69

• Clear communication 65 68 74 77

• Treat with Courtesy 80 80 84 87

• 13 Month Registration 39 31 37 42

• Filing Notice - 14 Days 54 31 31 33