(c) Magister Ltd, October 1999 A user’s viewpoint to the EPIDOS meeting, 1999 Stephen Adams, Magister Ltd., GB - Patents Documentation Consultancy

(c) Magister Ltd, October 1999 Anyone will tell you that…. The information industry is changing –information product markets are re-forming fragmentation (e.g. NTIS) producers are becoming suppliers as well –new users are entering the market –the needs of existing users are changing

(c) Magister Ltd, October 1999 …but what are the effects? One size does not fit all any longer (if it ever did) There is demand for –a range of products –via a range of distribution media / methods leading to the need for –a range of technical support –using a range of training methods and systems

(c) Magister Ltd, October 1999 Some initial questions Who are the users? –today –in the future –in the past What are the products?

(c) Magister Ltd, October 1999 Some typical user groups Information specialists Attorneys Large corporate end-users –resource rich / demanding / complex infrastructure (slow to respond?) SME end-users –resource poor / unfamiliar with products –simpler infrastructure - IT implications

(c) Magister Ltd, October 1999 Some typical products Paper : European Patent Bulletin CD-ROM / DVD : Espace series Electronic databases : EDOC / INPADOC Internet : Software : MIMOSA / EPOQUE Professional services : JP information

(c) Magister Ltd, October 1999 A broad product range demands broad product support Technical support : using the product –telecomms lines, SMO cards, jukeboxes, Java Content support : what’s in the product? –“Open to Public Inspection” or “Open to Public Incomprehension”? Training support : using the product better –both beginners and advanced Development support : for better products –constant liaison & dialogue with users

(c) Magister Ltd, October Technical support It’s not an easy job ! “Was none who would be foremost to lead such dire attack but those behind cried ‘Forward!’, and those before cried ‘Back!’ ” Thomas Macaulay, “The Lays of Ancient Rome - How Horatius kept the Bridge”

(c) Magister Ltd, October Technical support The medium is NOT the message –The information content is far more important than how it is distributed. Existing users may not wish to adopt the latest technology immediately. New users may not have the resources to do so.

(c) Magister Ltd, October Content support All users expect quality products –errors may deter customers - permanently! High-level users expect detailed information about the sources which they are using –INPADOC User Meetings –even with “end-user” tools like

(c) Magister Ltd, October Content support Low-level users need more “hand- holding” –better information materials The online hosts cannot do it all without EPO support –if the EPO wishes to be distribute its own products, it must be prepared to support them

(c) Magister Ltd, October Content support Common information content must be consistent across the range –sources which purport to contain the same information must say the same thing (or else provide an explanation why not) in the same way. If they do not, users will lose faith in the quality of the products

(c) Magister Ltd, October Content support The issue is not about “making information available” –it is “making useful information accessible” “Useless” information is either –unobtainable or –unintelligible We have made progress on the first, but perhaps not enough on the second.

(c) Magister Ltd, October Content support A reminder as we approach the year 2000 –c. 210 countries in the world –149 in the Paris Convention –134 in the WTO –102 in the PCT –66 in INPADOC bibliographic file –22 in INPADOC legal status file –6 recording PCT transfer data

(c) Magister Ltd, October Training support There are (at least) 2 ways to classify EPO information products –by content and medium INPADOC / Espace / EPO Register online / CD-ROM / Internet –or by function and user-group current awareness / retrospective search / status information specialist / end-user / attorney

(c) Magister Ltd, October Training support The present EPO training programme is a “train by product” approach : –one course on INPADOC, one course on EPO Register etc… Perhaps the time has come to “train by function” : –Sources for current awareness, sources for legal status etc... “Sell by product, train by function”

(c) Magister Ltd, October Training support If online / disk-based help files solved the problem, then why do we see so many books such as –“…….. for Dummies” –“The Complete Idiot’s Guide to …..” –“……… in 10 easy lessons” “Sound-bite” help files merely occupy disk space.

(c) Magister Ltd, October Training support Survey results : –“A substantial proportion of SME’s are deterred from using patent information because they have no-one to interpret the results for them.” –Oppenheim et al., Journal of Information Science (in press)

(c) Magister Ltd, October Development support Large / expert users must be prepared to allow the EPO to develop end-user products The EPO should be able to direct –development resource (money!) –human resource to new product development, BUT Existing products must not be neglected in the race to new markets

(c) Magister Ltd, October Development support “Change is good - you go first…” (Dilbert) When products are being developed, users must be kept informed –before –during –and after Changes need to be documented and incorporated into training material

(c) Magister Ltd, October 1999 Recommendations Continue to improve internal consistency Keep supporting a broad range of products –content –medium Expand the training and support function in Vienna –more hands, not just more money –revised / improved training courses Keep talking to users - actual or potential