Two models have emerged for collaborative quality assurance, namely, Wikipedia and Google. One is based on recruiting content maintainers who ensure submission quality, and the other is based on developing ratings algorithms which ensure presentation quality. Since the Patent Office utilizes the former model, which has proved less-than-ideal in well-known Wikipedia disputes involving conflicts of interest, perhaps the best long-term alternative would be to invest in developing a system that determines the appropriate prior art as a byproduct of user interactions on the site. In either case, rewarding users for submitting appropriate prior art is critical to the success of Peer to Patent.
