Improving the efficiency of searchingin patents－ the role of education and the human factor in an age of electronic information. －Magister Ltd., United Kingdom
PROFILE

Stephen Adams

Mr. Adams is the managing director of Magister Ltd., a consultancy specialising in training patent searchers
and assisting in the development of high quality patent information tools. He is the author of“Information
Sources in Patents”(ISBN 978-3-11-023511-1) and many articles in the field of patent information. He iscurrently the Vice-Chair of PIUG, Inc., the International Society for Patent Information, and also serves on the
Editorial Advisory Board of the journal“World Patent Information”.
stephen.adams@magister.co.uk

1

INTRODUCTION:“WE ARE
ALL SEARCHERS NOW…”

We live in a world where more and more of the  hardware processing of digital information.

2

WHAT MAKES PROFESSIONALSEARCHING DIFFERENT?

information which we need is being created andstored in electronic form.   The software which

My article seeks to investigate the question

provides access to this information is gettingof education for professional searchers.   Is it

smarter, so that there is increasing emphasis ona necessary factor in achieving high quality“natural language” input and “relevance ranked”

search results? – or will the influence of theoutput. In the developed world, and much of

searcher diminish as search technology

the developing world as well, nearly every home

improves?  In order to answer this question, we

will have a laptop or tablet which has becomeneed to recognise that conducting searches inour “window on the world” .   The combination

scientific or technical information has much inof these three developments – the form of thecommon with the “everyday” searches which we

information, the technical solutions to searching

do at home, but also some differences.

it, and the ease of access to it – might lead us

184

to think that all our problems in locating and

For example, a great deal of modern patent

using information are solved.   Many people,

information is already digitised.   Consequently,

especially the younger generation, expect thatit could be argued that it is no longer necessary

retrieval of information is – indeed, must be – anfor the education of a patent searcher to include“easy” process.   We all know that every searcha knowledge of exhaustive lists of paper-basedon a generic internet search engine such asor microfilm-based sources.   However, even theYahoo! ® is likely to produce many thousands,

least-skilled “everyday” internet searcher will

if not millions, of hits.   So how hard is it to besoon realise that the mere fact that informationa good searcher?   Maybe we are approachingis “on the computer” (i.e. digital) does nota point in time where we will no longer need toguarantee that it is of good quality or reliability.  

train anyone to search – the best answers will

Many “everyday” searchers soon learn to focus

simply “arrive” , through advanced software andtheir efforts on a relatively few, known andhave grown in their information literacy skills

skills to use each tool to its best effect, not– the ability to discriminate between sources

just rely upon a single “data + search engine”

and to make informed decisions about wherecombination.

to search.   For the searcher who specialises
in highly technical subject-matter, this type of

So both information sources and search

information literacy is needed to a much greater

engines are important components of a good

degree.   So this is one area where we cansearch.   But the best searches will be thoserecognise that searcher education might need

where the third aspect, the person performing

to be more formalised and comprehensive.  

the search, is equally prominent.   Just as witha three-legged stool, where the loss of any

A second aspect which distinguishes the

one leg destroys the ability of the stool to do“everyday” searcher from the professionalits job (act as a seat), so it is with information

is in understanding the capabilities of thesearching.   We may work hard to improve datatechnology which they have available for search.  

quality, or to improve the efficiency of databases

Performing a search on the fastest, most up-

and our ability to navigate large answer sets,

to-date hardware does not necessarily makebut if the human being sitting at the keyboard is

the process any easier or the results any

not skilled, we will still get a poor result.

better.    Neither does using the most complex,
semantic-based, relevance-ranking software

If this hypothesis is correct, then it is still

guarantee better results than 60-year oldimportant, in our quest for search efficiency, toBoolean retrieval.   Evidence shows that few

pay attention to the education and training of

non-specialist searchers will attempt to use

the people who perform our searches.

more than two or three obvious keywords, andnever explore the more advanced aspects of thetool available.    But in professional searching,

3

HOW DO WE LEARN ON THE
JOB?

a good understanding of the hardware andsoftware (collectively, the “search engine” )The commercial information industry has

may be crucial to being able to retrieve resultsa long history of providing training to its

which are relevant and usable.   Of course, incustomers on how to search their databases

an ideal world, both the information source

effectively.   For many people starting inand the search engine are high quality, andpatent information work, their first exposure

this increases our confidence in the results.  

to the whole concept of patents as a source

However, too often in real life we may be facedof technical information arises from theirwith a compromise.   The search engine may

attendance at a course run by a database

be very advanced but the information quality isvendor.   However, as more free-of-charge tools

poor, or (conversely) a poor search interface or

have been launched (e.g. the EPO’ s Espacenet

some other defect in the search engine hinders

or the JPO’ s JPlatPat), this tradition of hands-

our ability to perform an optimum search, evenon instruction has been eroded.   New users

in a high quality database.   It is clear that a

are told that the interface is “intuitive” , and

YEAR BOOK 2O15 185

検索の高効率化と精度向上

professional searcher must have the necessary

寄稿集２

trustworthy sources.   Without realising it, they

help files often consist of only brief examples

career.  This may include a recognised academicof certain forms of search.   More systematiccourse, such as a Masters-level degree intraining may be available, but it can consist

Information Studies or a related subject such as

principally of online webinars or similar medium.  

Business Administration.  But this is exceptional

Although these forms of training are helpful,– most new entrants to patent information

they also tend to concentrate on issues suchwork gain their expertise on the job.   This may

as search syntax or display features, and do

be from internal business mentors, if they are

not normally address the fundamentals of how

lucky enough to be in a corporate information

patent information is created, and what you

team with other experienced members, or byneed to know in order to search it effectively.  

attending external events such as conferences

At this point, the beginner is operating in aand training courses.   Whichever route is used,vacuum – they “do not know what they do not

the most important aspect is that the student

know” .   Sometimes, it is possible to spend

has a clear idea about the whole range of skills

many months or even years in a patent searchneeded, and does not concentrate on theirjob, and never encounter certain aspects.   You“comfort zone” , or even on the areas which their

may think that you know patent information

management tells them are “core subjects” .  

searching, but there is only a limited area of

Unfortunately, the management of a corporate

expertise where you truly feel comfortable.  

information team will not always know where

For example, some years ago I encountered

the skills gaps exist within their team, so theya searcher who considered themselves to beshould not be the sole source of advice on howhighly experienced.   As we spoke, it became

to fill those gaps.

clear to me that there were large gaps in theirknowledge.   Although this searcher knew how
to use all the commands on the search system,

4

A MORE SYSTEMATIC
APPROACH

they did not understand the underlying data at
all.  All their work had been done in US patents,

Over many years of working with patentand they had only a very vague idea of prior art

information, I am convinced that there arefrom other countries, and no concept at all ofstill new nuances to learn every day.   No-one,a patent family!   The longer a person stays inhowever experienced in years, has the wholethat situation, the more dangerous it is, both fortruth.   But I will be bold enough to suggest

them and for their customers.   It is clear thata broad classification for the skill set of thelearning new ideas and practices gets more

patent searcher, in the hope that every patentdifficult as we get older, and a patent searcher

searcher reading this article will be able towho has spent many years working in a closed,

identify some areas where they might benefit

insular environment will find it very hard tofrom further professional development.   This

compete in a global context.

may be in the form of “refresher” training, thelearning of entirely new skills, or simply realising

For this reason, I believe that all patent
searchers would benefit from going through asystematic training programme early in their

186

that their job skills could be employed in adifferent way.

aspects of the skill set for a patent information

Let us consider in turn what each skill area
can deliver for the complete patent searcher.

寄稿集２

In the diagram below, I have illustrated 4 major

specialist.  These areas are:needs certain information (e.g. has this invention

TI

been made and published before?) hands overthe process of searching for that information toanother person, it is vital that there is mutual
respect and trust between the two people.  Theinformation requestor (client) may be a subject

P

B

expert but find it difficult to explain to anyone
else what the invention is about.   They may
know that their invention differs by only a verysmall amount from similar, earlier inventions, andhence which distinguishing factors need to behighlighted.  They will seek to brief the searcher

T – Technical skills; patent documents dealusing highly technical, detailed language, and inwith inventions from all areas of science andturn the searcher must be sufficiently skilled intechnology, and the best searchers will be

the technical field to understand both what thethose who are comfortable with the technicalclient is describing and what they are likely tolanguage used in the documents.

find in the prior art.  The searcher must be able
to demonstrate to their client that they have

I – Information Science; despite the advances

the appropriate professional understanding toin everyday information access, it is not true

take on the job.  For example, if I am approachedthat “everyone is a searcher now” , especiallyby a telecommunications engineer, I would bein the scientific field. A thorough understanding

very reluctant to take on a search request,of   information storage and retrieval is the

because I am a chemist and do not really

backbone of good searching skills.

understand electronics.   Searchers who arebased in private practice have a very demandingP – Patent law and procedure; patent

job, because one day they may have a searchsearching is an interactive process, and it ison a medical device, the next day it may be

important to be able to interpret the meaninga new type of training shoe, the next day itof each document which is revealed during a

may be part of a mobile phone handset.   Their

search. Otherwise, the search will deliver only

technical skills need to be sufficiently up-to-date“data” and not “actionable intelligence” .

to search through and interpret (at least in the
broad aspects) the prior art which they locate.  

B – Business skills; this is a very broad area

If you are a searcher in a corporate environment,

in its own right, and includes understandingand your company has a well-defined area of

how industry works, as well as other business-business, your professional credibility as arelated skills such as project management.

searcher will in part depend upon how well you

YEAR BOOK 2O15 187

検索の高効率化と精度向上

4.1 Technical skills: Whenever one person, whounderstand the technology which underliesof data suppliers around the world (compared,

your company’ s products.   For this reason,for example, with trying to search all theit is very difficult for someone with an arts ordifferent newspapers in Japan, there is only one

humanities education to become a truly skilled

Patent Office), and only a limited number of key

patent searcher, because they do not have thedatabases suitable for everyday use.   But thebasic science skills required.   Unfortunately,

situation rapidly becomes more complex when

there is a tendency in some patent attorney

we realise that some commercial databases

practices to delegate search work to paralegals

add new database elements (or fields) whichwith no technical background, and this is notmake these products distinct and searchable ingood for either the quality of search or the self-

different ways to the original data as publishedconfidence and job satisfaction of the personby the office.   In addition, there is a large

doing the search.

difference between “searching patents” and“searching for patentability” ; someone who is a

To summarise, good technical skills arenecessary for the searcher in order to:
1. Maintain credibility and good relationships
with their clients,

complete expert in patent databases, but who
knows nothing of non-patent literature sources,
cannot reliably deliver high quality searches forpatentability in every area of technology.   We2. Understand highly technical queries andlive in an age where our national patent laws andconduct searches in scientific databases,

international patentability standards demand aand“universal novelty” , but where simultaneously,

3. Assess answers and report them in a
relevant and competent manner.

mankind is generating new information at ahigher speed than ever before.   The size ofthe state-of-the-art, whether it is measured

4.2 Information science: There are manyin Terabytes, number of pages or some otherdefinitions of ‘information science’ but one

metric, is increasing daily, and hence the work

which is useful in this context is the statementof the patentability search gets more difficult bythat it is an amalgam of different disciplines

the day.

which are “brought to bear in solving the

188

problems with information – its generation,

In addition to knowing sources of information,organization, representation, processing,and how to search them, the skilled searcher

distribution, communication and use.” [1].   Forshould also be familiar with other aspects ofthe patent information specialist, that means

information science, such as developments ingaining experience and insight into the variety

searching tools and interfaces, search engine

of different search sources, their strengths andtechnology, and the application of standard or

weaknesses, their accessibility, completenesscustomised software tools to the analysis andand quality, together with the various methods

navigation of large volumes of highly technicalof searching, retrieving and analysing theinformation – some of which may not even be incontent of a search.   At first sight, this mightcharacter-coded form.   We are a long way fromappear to be the smallest out of the four

having effective tools for direct searching of

aspects, in that there is only a limited number

images, diagrams, pictures, video – all of whichpublished under laws which were in force years
or decades before – they must, in effect, be a‘living archive’ of the historical procedures as

information specialists worry that they are

well as the current ones.

expected to know patent law in their jobs.  
They think, “Will this mean that I am becoming

4.4 Business skills: This last aspect covers

a patent attorney?” , or that they might bemany different skills, but they contribute to

expected to deliver legal opinion.  But that is not

the general competence of a skilled patentthe intention in a good education programme

searcher.   In some ways, the best searcher

for an information specialist.   The laws andneeds to be a specialist (having specific, highly-

procedures surrounding patent information

focussed skills) and a generalist (interested inand patent documentation in general are quite

many different fringe aspects surrounding thedistinct from the procedural aspects which ajob) simultaneously.   They should have both aprofessional representative (attorney or agent)depth and a breadth of knowledge.  In the patentis expected to know.   The business of patent

searching business, the old saying is true:  “Yousearching involves skills which complement –never know when something might be useful” .  

not compete with – those of the attorney.   InIn performing my job over a number of years

particular, searchers need to know enoughwithin a chemical company, I found an outlet forof law and procedure to be able to interpretseemingly “useless” facts relating to politics,

the relevance of the findings of the search.  

geography, history, business, regional andThis means that as frequently as patent law

international law, languages and much more.  

changes, so does the set of rules which every

Every searcher needs to know the context (wider

searcher is expected to know in order to do

picture) of a specific search if they are to dothat analysis.   Even an apparently simple task

the best job.   This means that, for a searcher

such as computing a predicted expiry date (forwithin a company, it will help them if they haveexample, in the context of a freedom-to-operate

a good working knowledge of the whole range

search) is made more complicated every timeof products which their employer makes anda national law or procedure changes.   So in

where they are marketed.  They should know theconsidering the need to understand patent

broad   research strategy within the business,law, there are two distinct differences between

as well as the specific project which has led to

the role of the patent attorney and the role ofthe latest, potentially-patentable invention.  This

the searcher.  Firstly, the searcher will be morepart of a searcher’ s education is partly self-concerned about the laws, procedures anddriven (making a wise choice about what to readstandards surrounding publication, which are

and retain) and partly from external sources,

often neglected by attorneys, and secondly,such as professional networking with others inthe searcher must be aware of many different

the same or similar fields of work.

versions of law.  An attorney generally has little
use for old law – their duty is to be familiar withOn top of this package of “general

the newest procedures.   But the searcher may

knowledge” , it is also a good practice to gain

locate documents which were processed andother skills which may come in useful within

YEAR BOOK 2O15 189

検索の高効率化と精度向上

4 . 3 P a t e n t l a w a n d p r o c e d u r e :    S o m e

寄稿集２

are part of the state-of-the-art.

the information team (or especially for the

The letter “E” surrounding our 4 areas of skills

solo professional).   This can include learning

represents a vital factor which envelops all ofsoftware packages to higher-than-average levels

the other areas of learning – Experience.   Upof detail, basic software coding or programming,

to a point, any well-educated person will be

project management skills, report writing andable to gather skills from the four key areas,

presentation skills, communication and inter-and accumulate enough “facts” to be able topersonal relations.   Ultimately, our entire

represent themselves as an good searcher.  But

professional base depends upon communication

the factor which separates a good searcher– receiving and understanding requests fromfrom an experienced one is their ability to learn

others, interacting with them during the search,when their existing skills break down.   There isand dispatching our results to them in a form

an interesting quotation, variously attributed

which they can use in their jobs.   That kind of

to Prof. Randy Pausch [2] or to Dan Stanford

expertise cannot be learnt from a book – but[3] which states that “Experience is what you

it can be learnt over time; and that brings me

get when you didn't get what you wanted…” .  

to the final two aspects of the professional

An experienced searcher is a better searcher,searcher’ s skill set.

because they have encountered at first handsome of the pitfalls and problems when their

5

GROWING IN COMPLETENESS:
EXPERIENCE AND TIME.

‘perfect’ strategy goes wrong.  

To grow in experience, we all need other
Up to this point, we have assumed that if

people around us.   Patent searching is aanyone succeeds in “filling in all the blanks”

specialist activity, and it is quite possible,

in the diagram (above), they will be a skilledeven within a very large corporation, for the

searcher.   But in fact, even this illustration

single person who does patent searches to feel

suffers from being incomplete.  A more accurate
picture might be the second diagram below:

E

T

I
P

B

経

験

技

情

術

報学

特

許

ビ

ｼﾞﾈｽ

（左の英語図を日本語で参考表示）190

in which to gain experience.   It is vital for[1] Williams, M. E. (1987/1988). ‘Defining

every patent searcher to have some otherinformation science and the role of ASIS.’

people around them, to help them to grow by

Bulletin of the American Society for Information

experience.   These may be colleagues in other

Science, 14(2), 17-19.

companies, that you meet professionally at[2] Pausch, R. (2008). The Last Lecture. New

conferences or seminars.   Alternatively, if you

York: Hyperion Books. ISBN 978-1401323257.

are lucky enough to be in a team of searchers[3] www.worldofquotes.com [Accessedin your work-place, you may have a local mentor

2015.08.03]

available all the time.   If you try to grow inexperience on your own, you may never move
forward - in fact, you may get worse rather thanbetter.   Without a professional colleague, you
may fall into the trap of thinking, "It's all my fault"
when something unexpected happens in yoursearch.  If the same "mistake" happens multiple
times, you may eventually give up experimenting
and retreat into your comfort zone.   But if thereason behind your "mistake" is explained toyou, by someone more experienced, then you
will learn and begin to move forward.   That is
why I believe that every novice searcher must
develop their own professional network - a groupof  colleagues whom you trust and respect, andcan help you to move from "I made a mistake" to"I understand what happened" to "I know how to
avoid that in the future".

Finally, a good quality searcher is made overtime.   The more often someone does searchwork, the more likely they are to come across anunforeseen situation, and have to work their way
out of it on the way to the final solution.   Thismeans that experienced searchers are nevermade overnight, by intensive education, but overa long period of time, making many mistakes,
recovering from them, learning from them andgetting better and more confident at being able
to handle the next task.  Happy searching!

YEAR BOOK 2O15 191

検索の高効率化と精度向上

References:

寄稿集２very isolated.   That is not a good environment特許調査の効率性改善─電子情報時代における教育の役割と人間性要因（抄録）Stephen Adams

はじめに：
1 「今日では全員がサーチャーだ」とシステムで検索しているのではない。妥協の産物で検索していることを知るべきである。プロサーチャーは、
これらの欠点を補完するために、複数を工夫しながら組必要な情報が電子媒体で創りだされ蓄積される時

み合わせて利用している。

代である。「自然言語」で入力すれば「適切用語」でラ

プロサーチャーの第３の違いは、キーボードで操作しンキングされる賢いソフトに注目されがちである。（a）ている側の人間（能力）の違いではないだろうか（仮説）。

情報の形、（b）調査の技術解決法、（c）アクセス容易

三本足の椅子は、その１本がなければ役に立たない。だ

性の三つに対して開発すれば、情報の所在を見つけ、そからこそ、このキーボードを操るプロサーチャーの教育の情報を活用することも解決できるだろうと思われていと訓練こそが重要なのである。

る。Yahoo のような検索エンジンが何千件もの回答をヒットさせるため、良きサーチャーであることがなんと難しいことか。

2

プロサーチャーの違う点は何か

3

JOB トレーニングはどうようにやるべきか

商用 DB の教育は歴史的にみてもプロバイダーが適切に行ってきた。しかし、無料の Tool が提供される従い、
この歴史的な教育訓練が手抜き化されつつある。「知らこの論文の狙いはプロサーチャーの教育法を述べるこない点が何であるかも知らない」という「真空状態」でとにある。プロサーチャーの減少要因は調査結果の高品検索をしている。例えば、US 特許に対する「自称熟練

質が足りなかったためだろうか、それとも、調査技術がサーチャー」と話をしてみて、検索コマンドのことは熟改善された影響のためだろうか。家庭で行う「日常」調

知しているが各国の法制度とファミリー特許のことを曖

査と共通することも多いが、プロサーチャーの違いもあ昧に漠然とか知らないことに驚かされた。頻繁に使う機ることに気付くべきである。

能は知っているが稀に利用すべき重要なことを知らない

例えば、殆どスキルが要らない「日常」インターネッという危険な状態に陥っていた。サ－チャー経験が長く

トサーチャーは、インターネット情報はその情報品質がなればなるほど、新しいことを学ぼうとしなくなり、「居保証されていないことに気づく。しかし、それを無意識

心地の良いところ」に留まる危険性がある。系統的な教のまま、情報リタラシースキルを会得したと錯覚してし育訓練こそ定期的に必要である。

まう。だが、プロサーチャーなら、情報源が信頼に値するかどうかを最初に確認する。
第二の違いは、プロサーチャーは調査対象分野の専門

4

より系統的な教育訓練法とは技術への理解にまず努力する点である。調査を迅速にするための最新ハードウエアが、複雑な概念検索が、ラン

192

筆者の経験から、特許情報スペシャリストとして４つキング手法が、60 年前からある Boolean 検索より優の観点の技能を備えているべきと考えている。

れているとは限らない。私たちは完全な理想的な情報源

技術スキル：最良のサーチャーは検索領域分野の科学と情報（科）学：「全ての人が今日ではサーチャーである」

解すべきものである。特許法は頻繁に改正されるので、ということは科学分野においては真実ではない。情報蓄

それに沿った調査が必要である。例えば、法的な日付で積と検索の正確な理解がなければ、まともな良い検索はある出願日、公開日、登録日は極めて重要である。特許

とてもできるはずがないという信念（背景）が必要であ

権が生きているかどうかの判断にこれらは特に重要な日る。

付である。引用と被引用特許、ファミリー関係もまとも

特許法と手続き：「実践可能なインテリジェンス」を報に正確に理解が必要である。どの特許が生きており、ど告するためには、各特許書類の意味を正確に理解していの特許が直に関係するかを調べる権利化調査では「特許ることが特許調査の際に必要である。

満了日」の計算予測ができなければならない。

ビジネス・スキル：プロジェクト管理のような広い分野での正しいスキルが必要である。

4.4

ビジネス・スキル【４つの要素の詳説】極めて重要な筆者の解説なので、特許調査に直接関係がなさそうなことでも、実際には意訳抄録化をしない。一部メモに留める。スチーブン・

大変役に立ちそうなことが、このビジネス・スキルなのアダムス氏のオリジナル英語解説文を直に精読することである。例えば、政治、地政学、歴史、ビジネス、地域をすすめる。

情勢、国際法、言語など諸々の事項が、実際には重要になることもある。これらの能力に対するサ－チャー自身

4.1

技術スキル

の教育は自己研鑽に帰するところが大である。それにもサ－チャーは自分が良く知っている分野では詳しく正増して、これらの一般知見を習得する以上に重要なこと

確に検索できるが、知らない分野は幼稚な簡単な技術用は、「情報チームに役立つことを自ら他者から学び取る

語で検索しがちである。また、知らない分野では特に分実践力」なのである。

野の最新情報に疎くなりがちである。依頼者が示唆した深い技術の専門用語の広がりが理解できなく見落としが
ちである。

5

完全実施化：経験と時間一言でいうと下記の３つが実践できる必要がある。
１．顧客との信頼と良好関係が維持できる、
２．専門科学ＤＢにて高度な技術検索式を理解し正確な検索ができる、

前述の４つの観点の能力を備えたとしても、まだ不完全である。４つの観点を包含する「経験」こそが熟練

プロサーチャーを育てている真実要因である。ダン・ス

３．適切かつ競合に負けない検索回答を自分で評価でき、かつ報告できること。

タンフォード氏が述べているが、「想定外のことが起きた際に会得するのが経験である。完全と思っていた検索戦略が間違っていることが判った時にこそ、経験のある

4.2

情報（科）学

サーチャーは、より良きサーチャーに脱皮して生まれ変情報（科）学の定義には色々あるが、役に立つのはウ
イリアム氏の定義である。

わるのである。」

情報の生成・組織化・表現

最後に、良い品質の結果を出せるサーチャーは長い年

化・加工・配信・通信および、その活用の各段階にて発月を掛けて養成される。検索する回数が多い程、予想外

生する諸問題を解決することに耐えられるものでなけれの状態に遭遇する機会が多くなり、最終の解決策に至るばならない。

過程にて、良き経験が養成・蓄積されるからである。何
度も失敗して、何度も再起して次なる仕事を達成できる

4.3

特許法と手続きようになる。これこそが「幸福な検索」なのである。

弁理士と同レベルの知見が求められているのではない。しかし、「特許性」調査と「特許調査」は別ものである。

YEAR BOOK 2O15 193

検索の高効率化と精度向上

特許の「新規性」と「進歩性」は、少なくとも正確に理

寄稿集２

技術の専門用語に精通していること。