Awhile back, I developed a free tool for evaluating IP using IC concepts. A number of people have asked me to bring it back so I am providing it here (see terms of use below). Let me know what you think. Maybe we’ll automate it again….
Background
Most companies develop intellectual property for their own use. In this situation, the ultimate success and value of a specific piece of IP ends up depending on the success of the business supporting it. This QuickScan allows you to test the strength of the business resources that your organization intends to use to exploit your IP. It examines the four elements of intangible capital that are necessary for any business:
IP Mangement QuickScan
The tool was designed for a four-point scale: 1-Below Average, 2-Above Average, 3-Average, 4-Best. Once you score your IP, use the scoring table below to interpret your results.
Human Capital
- How would you rate the management team’s understanding of what it will take to commercialize this technology?
- How would you rate the management team’s knowledge of the industry related to this technology?
- How would you rate the employees’ competencies related to production/delivery of this technology?
- How would you rate the employees’ competencies necessary to renew and continue to build this technology?
- How would you rate the employees’ competencies necessary to support customers of this technology?
Structural Capital
- How would you rate the company’s ability to create an effective process for producing the technology?
- How would you rate the company’s ability to create marketing processes appropriate for creating demand for this technology?
- How would you rate the company’s ability to create sales processes appropriate for selling this technology?
- How would you rate the company’s knowledge base related to this technology?
- How would you rate the company’s access to related technologies that it will need to commercialize this technology?
Relationship Capital
- How would you rate the company’s understanding of the target market for the technology?
- How would you rate the fit between this technology and the company’s existing customers?
- How would you rate the company’s access to the right prospect group for this technology?
- How would you rate the company’s access to the right partners to produce and deliver this technology?
- How would you rate the company’s brand as consistent with this technology?
Strategic Capital
- How would you rate the fit between this technology and the company’s existing business model?
- How would you rate the company’s ability to create an appropriate business model for this technology?
- How would you rate the opportunity in the marketplace (strong opportunity usually means fewer incumbent competitors)?
- How would you rate the outlook for the market need that this technology is addressing?
- How would you rate the level of freedom from regulation in the market for this technology?
As mentioned above, this was designed for a four-point scale: 1-Below Average, 2-Above Average, 3-Average, 4-Best. This scoring sheet has some ideas on how to interpret your results.
This is obviously a tool used as a first level analysis of your IP. Our ICounts Graphs platform provides a much more robust analysis. If you are interested in understanding the Graphs or any of our other methodologies, we’ll put you in touch with one of our ICountants.
Terms of Use: I developed this approach initially for IPR Plaza, Amsterdam, Netherlands as a free on-line tool (which is no longer available). I make it available here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license
Comments
Great -- thanks. Automated version would be a useful tool.