A lot of business people find that managing intellectual property (IP) and keeping up with patents can be overwhelming. The main reason behind it is the responsibility and attention to detail this comes with. In simpler terms, there’s just so much to juggle, from paperwork to deadlines, and it can quickly become too much.
A survey by PwC even showed that most executives see the process as extremely tough and time-consuming. But there’s a silver lining: Agile’s flexible and efficient framework can make handling IP and patents a lot easier and less of a headache.
Why consider Agile?
What’s great about Agile is that it makes it possible for companies to swiftly respond to new developments, whether it’s a competitor’s patent filing or a shift in the regulatory landscape.
What this means is that instead of getting bogged down by rigid plans, teams can shift their strategies based on real-time information, which leads to quicker decision-making, reduced risk, and a more cohesive approach to managing IP assets.
How to go about implementation?
The good news about implementation is that it’s quite simple: teams break down the broad task of managing patents into smaller, digestible units known as “sprints.” These sprints—which typically last two to four weeks—culminate in a review where the team assesses progress and areas for improvement.
Daily stand-up meetings shouldn’t be missed, because this is where you get to see if everyone is aligned and if any bottlenecks can be addressed promptly. For a patent portfolio, this might mean focusing one sprint on filing new patents, another on monitoring competitor activities, and yet another on compliance review.
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The role of Kanban boards
One of the standout tools in Agile is the Kanban board. When you create a Kanban board for managing IP and patents, it can provide a visual snapshot of the entire portfolio’s status. The board typically consists of columns that represent different stages of progress—from idea inception to patent filing and enforcement.
Teams can see at a glance what tasks are in progress, what’s pending approval, and what’s completed. For instance, if a patent deadline is approaching, teams can quickly shift their focus, so that critical tasks get the attention they need.
Long-term success
Regular reviews are important because they let teams figure out what’s working and what’s not. This means they can tweak their strategies to make things run better. In essence, you can catch any issues before they become big problems.
The reason why this process is so useful is because it helps build a culture where everyone is always learning and adapting, and it also makes handling patents more flexible and resilient. Teams don’t get stuck following a rigid plan, but instead, they can pivot and adjust when needed based on what they learn.
For companies aiming to protect their innovations and stay competitive, saying yes to Agile methodologies is undoubtedly a smart move that brings clarity, efficiency, and long-term success to their IP management efforts.
