Jakob Nielsen Defends "1-Click" Patents

danila writes "In his latest column the king of usability discusses competitive testing of website usability. Among other things he suggests that "Some tasks might be much easier on your competitor's site, and those tasks would indicate areas where you can learn from the competition and improve your design." Overall, a very informative and insighful article, if not for a small paragraph in the end. "You can patent usability innovations to keep the competition from stealing them. Most Web projects are managed by marketing departments that have no experience with the patent system. Websites, however, are inventions and should be protected when you invest in developing something new." How can you learn from competition if every potential improvement is already patented?"

Comments

How to learn from someone else's patent REVEALED

[Mike Hawk]

How can you learn from competition if every potential improvement is already patented?"

Literally? Look at it and learn. You will have to wait 20 years to use it, but it doesn't stop you from learning, just immediately benefitting from the lesson.

There is another lesson to learn as well. Maybe you should innovate before your competition and earn a patent. Of course this is more difficult and expensive so I could see why some people don't like patents. Don't be afraid though, get out there and think and maybe one day you too might invent something!