The PDMA Handbook of Innovation and New Product Development, 4th Edition

CHAPTER NINE INTEGRATING IP ACTIONS INTO NPD PROCESSES: BEST PRACTICES FOR PROTECTING (AND PROMOTING) NEW PRODUCT INNOVATION

Joshua L. Cohen, Esq.¹

IP-savvy development teams strive to create products that not only delight consumers, but that also enjoy strong IP protection and avoid conflicts with others’ IP rights. But how is this best accomplished? And how can firms trust their processes to reliably deliver this result time and time again? The answer lies in firms adopting integrated IP programs that complete IP-related actions as a natural byproduct of their NPD processes.

9.1 Introduction

Firms that innovate share a common mandate – they need a robust program of intellectual property (IP) practices to safeguard their IP, avoid conflicts with others’ IP rights, and catalyze further innovation. In short, they need to protect, respect, and promote IP.

Firms know that strong IP rights can protect their core technologies and help maximize the ROI of their product development efforts. They also know that IP risks should be identified and avoided proactively. Yet they often fail to execute the right IP actions, at the right times; instead, too many firms rely on ad hoc or reactive IP actions as opposed to systemic IP awareness and integrated processes.

By adopting a robust IP program – a set of coordinated, sustainable, and consistent measures and behaviors – firms can ensure ...