Advancing USPTO's Mission: Insights from Deputy CIO Deborah Stephens

Deborah Stephens, the Deputy Chief Information Officer for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), “grew up” so to speak in the USPTO. Deborah led the USPTO on its agile journey. As the agency took on its “New Ways of Working, '' by moving people and resources closer to the work, she helped empower employees to build and deploy software. Deborah shares how she guided the agency through this 4-year change journey, gaining buy-in from the organization, which was proved by an engagement rate increase from 75% to 85%. Deborah also talks about what it means to be a HISP, running USPTO as a business that is entirely self-sustaining, and, in honor of Women’s History Month, the women who have inspired her along the way.

Key Topics

• 05:54 Some embraced digital change, others struggled with it
• 08:53 Most employees were ready for telework
• 10:59 USPTO shifts to agile approach for IT
• 16:41 Gathering feedback led to 10% engagement increase
• 23:50 Customers submit 600,000+ patent and trademark applications yearly
• 26:51 Agency conducts outreach through webinars and trademarks
• 31:06 Customer experience and UX processes are fundamental
• 33:45 USPTO offers different fee structures for entities
• 35:30 USPTO runs efficiently with prioritization and budgeting
• 39:43 Acknowledging strong women, personally and professionally
• 43:21 Seek guidance and practice for success

Growth in Patent and Trademark Requests

Surge in Applications at USPTO

Deborah Stephens highlights a significant increase in the number of patent and trademark applications received by the USPTO over the years. This growth, from approximately 350,000 to 400,000 applications in 2012, with numbers continuing to rise, underscores the vibrant culture of innovation and creativity in the United States. The upward trend of applications is a positive sign of the country's ongoing commitment to innovation. However, it also presents logistical challenges for the USPTO. Including the need to process a higher volume of applications efficiently while ensuring the quality of examination does not diminish.

Transition to New Ways of Working in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: "And so in around late 2018, 19, we began our, what we referred to as our agile journey. We named it our New Ways of Working, which essentially is an entire USPTO effort. Including our business unit with 12 other business units, moving people and the resources closer to the work. Giving them that empowerment, to build, deliver, deploy software, product services for our business stakeholders, and that's both internally and externally." — Deborah Stephens

USPTO is Adapting to Increased Demand

In response to the growing demand for intellectual property protection, the USPTO has been proactive in seeking ways to maintain and improve service delivery. Deborah discusses the agency's approach to managing the influx of applications, focusing on scalability and efficiency. Despite the challenges posed by the increase in applications, the USPTO's designation as a High Impact Service Provider (HISP) has had minimal impact on its existing customer experience strategy. The agency's foundational commitment to delivering exceptional service to inventors and entrepreneurs remains steadfast. With an emphasis on continuous improvement and the adoption of new strategies to better meet the needs of the U.S. innovation community.

USPTO's Fee-Funded Model and Fiscal Strategy

USPTO’s Fee-Funded Operations

Deborah highlights the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) operational model, which is uniquely self-sufficient. Relying entirely on fees collected from patent and trademark applications. This model ensures that the USPTO does not use taxpayer do