Enterprise Training Strategy

Action:

The USPTO should establish an enterprise-wide training strategy.

Background:

Prior to 2001, responsibility for training USPTO employees was a decentralized activity. In January 2001, the USPTO realigned and centralized all training resources under the enhanced Office of Quality Management and Training (QMT). This action was
designed to:

·         Ensure consistent training policies and practices

·         Establish a linkage between training and performance measurement results

·         Encourage best practice sharing across technologies and functions

·         Eliminate duplication of efforts

In fiscal year 2001, Patent, Trademark and Office of Human Resources (HR) training responsibilities (including staff and dollars) were transferred to QMT. In fiscal year 2002, the training resources from all of the other programs were transferred to QMT, and all training requests were funneled through QMT for tracking purposes.

Centralized training also supported the requirement in the American Inventors’ Protection Act of 1999 to report to the Congress on an annual basis regarding “the nature of training provided to examiners….”[1]

In December 2001, the Administrator for QMT proposed the establishment of a Training Steering Committee that responded to business units’ requests that QMT:

·         Assume a strategic leadership role by establishing strategy, direction and policy for training and quality.

·         Where possible and appropriate to provide innovative solutions that support resolving business unit quality and timeliness issues.

·         Improve communication about what QMT has to offer and the value of training.

Options Considered:

1.     Continue to maintain the current organizational structure where training is centralized.

2.     Totally decentralize training, so that each entity would be responsible for ensuring its employees are trained consistent with business needs.

3.     Establish an enterprise training strategy where Patents and Trademarks would be responsible for core mission business-related training, and HR would be responsible for administrative, corporateand other agency-wide training, and coordinating agency-wide training policy would be the responsibility of a training steering committee.

USPTO Recommended Course of Action:

Option #3 is recommended. There is under consideration a proposed new paradigm for the USPTO where quality, which currently centers on end-product review, will be refocused to in-process review. It therefore follows that patent and trademark-specific training responsibilities should be closer to the examination process. This will enable the managers being held responsible for achieving USPTO quality metrics to manage training resources needed to ensure that their employees receive the most appropriate and timely training to meet quality objectives.

The strategic approach taken by the Administrator for QMT would be continued in that responsibility for an agency-wide training strategy and policy would rest with a reconstituted training steering committee. The training steering committee would be reconstituted to provide for senior management participation from business unit areas with a primary focus on enterprise-wide training policy issues.

Agency-wide general training would be consolidated within OHR. OHR will be responsible for ensuring that general training would be refocused to meet new business needs articulated in The 21^st Century Strategic Plan. Course offerings and certificate/degree programs would be evaluated and redesigned for the purpose of training and “upskilling” USPTO employees to meet the new competency requirements of the Agency’s evolving workforce.

The USPTO has the capability through its financial systems to track training at the program and individual level, thereby, enabling the USPTO to meet its reporting requirements to the Congress.

Cost Implications:

There should be no increased cost as a result of this proposed change.

Timing:

§       Realign funds and resources for training functions

§       Form training steering committee consisting of representatives from business units

§       Establish training needs based on business goals

§       Develop action plan

§       Conduct rigorous, periodic assessments

[1] Section 4718, Annual Report of Director.

Implementation Schedule
Work Breakdown Structure	Task Name	Start	Finish	Project Lead
42	Transformation 1: A-14 - Enterprise-wide Training Strategy	03/31/03	09/30/03	J. Barnard
42.1	Realign funds and resources for training functions (A-14)	03/31/03	04/30/03
42.2	Form training steering committee (A-14)	04/01/03	04/14/03
42.3	Establish training needs based on business goals (A-14)	04/21/03	04/30/03
42.4	Develop action plan (A-14)	04/28/03	05/12/03
42.5	Conduct rigorous, periodic assessments (A-14)	09/15/03	09/30/03

KEY:

=online business system

=fees

=forms

=help

=laws/regulations

=definition (glossary)

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