Intellectual Property and Use

Overview

Everything published, developed, and distributed by Tech Data World — including frameworks, methodologies, tools, training materials, guidance documents, position papers, trademarks, and all associated content — represents the original intellectual work of Technical Documentation World Limited and its founder, Michael Ingledew.

This page sets out clearly what we own, how it was developed, and what is and is not permitted in relation to its use.

We have written this page to be clear and direct rather than obscure. If you are uncertain whether a particular use is permitted, the answer is to contact us before proceeding rather than after.

Who We Are

Tech Data World (TDW) is the trading name of Technical Documentation World Limited, a company registered in England and Wales.

Founder and Principal: Michael Ingledew MISTC FITOL

Michael Ingledew has been developing independent frameworks, methodologies, and guidance for Integrated Product Support and technical data management since the founding of Tech Data World in 2010, drawing on practitioner experience that extends back to the mid-1990s. The intellectual property described on this page has been developed through that sustained period of independent research, project experience, client engagement, and published output.

All intellectual property described on this page is owned by Technical Documentation World Limited unless otherwise stated.

Trademarks

The following names, marks, and phrases are trademarks or registered trademarks of Technical Documentation World Limited. They may not be used in any commercial, educational, promotional, or published context without express written permission.

• Making Data Work™ — A trademark of Technical Documentation World Limited. Used as a core brand expression of TDW's methodology and approach across training, consulting, and product development.
• IPS Toolkit™ — A trademark of Technical Documentation World Limited. Refers to the IPS Toolkit platform and all associated components including IPS FreeView™, IPS Compass™, IPS Desk Officer™, and IPS Pro™.
• IPS FreeView™ — A trademark of Technical Documentation World Limited. Refers to the S1000D sample data Navigator component of the IPS Toolkit platform.
• IPS Compass™ — A trademark of Technical Documentation World Limited. Refers to the project readiness assessment component of the IPS Toolkit platform built on the WHY-WHO-HOW-WHEN Framework.
• IPS Desk Officer™ — A trademark of Technical Documentation World Limited. Refers to the procurement visibility and governance component of the IPS Toolkit platform.
• IPS Pro™ — A trademark of Technical Documentation World Limited. Refers to the complete IPS project platform component of the IPS Toolkit.
• International IPS AI Guidance Initiative™ — A trademark of Technical Documentation World Limited. Refers to the initiative, framework, and associated published guidance developed and maintained by Tech Data World for the responsible adoption, implementation, and governance of Artificial Intelligence within Integrated Product Support programmes.
• Clarity — Confidence — Competence™ — A trademark of Technical Documentation World Limited. Used as a brand expression across TDW training and advisory services.
• MBDE™ (Model Based Data Engineering) — A trademark of Technical Documentation World Limited as used in the context of IPS and technical data management methodology.
• SpiralLearn — A brand name of Technical Documentation World Limited referring to the private learning platform operated by TDW for training students and IPS Toolkit subscribers.

The use of any of the above marks — including in publications, presentations, training materials, marketing content, specification documents, or any other medium — without the express written permission of Technical Documentation World Limited is not permitted.

If you wish to reference any of the above marks in a factual, attributional context — for example in a conference presentation that credits TDW as the originating organisation — please contact us to discuss appropriate use.

The WHY-WHO-HOW-WHEN Framework

The WHY-WHO-HOW-WHEN Framework is an original methodology developed by Michael Ingledew and Technical Documentation World Limited for the structured initiation and governance of Integrated Product Support projects.

Origin and development: The framework has been developed, refined, and applied across real IPS programmes over more than 25 years of practitioner engagement. It was first articulated publicly by Tech Data World in its current structured form and has been taught, published, and embedded in TDW training courses, consulting engagements, workshop materials, and the IPS Toolkit platform.

What the framework covers: The WHY-WHO-HOW-WHEN Framework provides a structured sequence for IPS project initiation — establishing strategic intent (WHY) before stakeholder and governance definition (WHO), before tool and specification selection (HOW), before phasing and resource planning (WHEN). The framework is embedded in the IPS Compass assessment, the IPS Toolkit platform, TDW training curricula, and TDW position papers.

Ownership: The WHY-WHO-HOW-WHEN Framework, including its structure, sequencing logic, associated assessment methodology, and all published articulations of it, is the intellectual property of Technical Documentation World Limited.

Permitted use: The framework may not be reproduced, taught, embedded in tools or products, used as the basis for derivative methodologies, or referenced in commercial or educational contexts without the express written permission of Technical Documentation World Limited.

Attribution requirement: Any permitted reference to the WHY-WHO-HOW-WHEN Framework must include clear attribution to Tech Data World and Michael Ingledew as the originating source, including a reference to techdataworld.com.

The International IPS AI Guidance Framework™

The International IPS AI Guidance Framework™ is an original framework developed by Technical Documentation World Limited for the responsible adoption, implementation, and governance of Artificial Intelligence within Integrated Product Support programmes.

Origin and development: The framework was conceived, structured, and developed by Michael Ingledew and Technical Documentation World Limited. Its development draws on TDW's sustained engagement with IPS programmes, technical data management, and the application of AI to complex support environments. All published content within the framework — including the Guidance Framework structure, Core Principles, AI and IPS Specifications guidance, AI Implementation Lifecycle model, AI Governance guidance, Data Foundations guidance, and Verification and Trust guidance — has been developed independently by TDW.

What the framework covers: The International IPS AI Guidance Framework™ provides structured, vendor-neutral guidance for organisations seeking to adopt AI responsibly within IPS programmes. It addresses the governance, implementation, data, verification, assurance, and organisational capability dimensions of AI adoption in complex support environments.

Ownership: The framework, including all published documents, guidance sections, structural models, and associated content, is the intellectual property of Technical Documentation World Limited. The name International IPS AI Guidance Initiative™ is a trademark of Technical Documentation World Limited.

Community contribution: The initiative invites contribution from the IPS and defence community. Contributions submitted to the initiative — including experience sharing, use cases, and feedback — do not transfer intellectual property rights to the contributor and do not give the contributor any rights over the framework or its published content. TDW retains full ownership of the framework and all published output.

Permitted use: The framework and its published content may not be reproduced, redistributed, incorporated into other guidance documents, used as the basis for derivative frameworks, embedded in tools or training, or published in any medium without the express written permission of Technical Documentation World Limited.

TDW Position Papers

The TDW Position Paper series comprises independently developed, authored, and published intellectual positions on subjects relevant to Integrated Product Support, S-Series specifications, technical data management, and AI adoption in complex programmes.

Authorship: All position papers in the TDW series are authored by Michael Ingledew unless otherwise stated. Each paper carries a publication date and a TDW reference number. These dates and reference numbers constitute the record of first publication for the purposes of establishing intellectual priority.

Ownership: All position papers are the intellectual property of Technical Documentation World Limited. Copyright in each paper is owned by Technical Documentation World Limited from the date of first publication.

Permitted use: Position papers may not be reproduced, quoted at length, incorporated into other publications, used as the basis for presentations or training materials, or distributed in any form without the express written permission of Technical Documentation World Limited.

Short citations — of fewer than fifty words — with clear attribution to Tech Data World, Michael Ingledew, and the specific paper title and date are acceptable in a factual referential context. Any citation beyond this requires written permission.

Attribution requirement for citations: Any permitted citation must include the author's name (Michael Ingledew), the paper title, the publication date, and a reference to techdataworld.com as the originating source.

Training Materials and Course Content

All training materials developed and delivered by Tech Data World — including slide decks, handouts, workbooks, exercises, assessment materials, video recordings, and online course content — are the intellectual property of Technical Documentation World Limited.

Ownership: Training materials developed by TDW are owned by TDW regardless of the context in which they were delivered — whether in a classroom, online, at a client site, or at a public event. Delivery of training to an individual or organisation does not transfer any intellectual property rights in the training materials to the recipient.

Permitted use: Training materials may not be reproduced, shared, redistributed, used as the basis for other training programmes, or published in any medium without the express written permission of Technical Documentation World Limited.

Recipients of TDW training are licensed to retain copies of materials provided for their own personal professional reference. This licence is non-transferable and does not extend to reproduction, redistribution, or derivative use.

IPS Toolkit Software and Documentation

The IPS Toolkit platform — including IPS FreeView™, IPS Compass™, IPS Desk Officer™, and IPS Pro™ — constitutes proprietary software developed by Technical Documentation World Limited.

Ownership: The software, its underlying methodology, its assessment logic, its output formats, its user interface, and all associated documentation are the intellectual property of Technical Documentation World Limited.

Licence terms: Use of any IPS Toolkit component is subject to the licence terms applicable to that component — perpetual licence for Compass and Desk Officer, annual subscription for Pro, free registration for FreeView. Licence terms are set out in full in the IPS Toolkit Terms of Service at ipstoolkit.io/terms.

What a licence does not grant: Purchase of an IPS Toolkit licence grants the right to use the software for the purposes described in the licence. It does not grant any rights to the underlying methodology, source code, assessment logic, or intellectual property embedded in the tool. It does not permit reverse engineering, decompilation, or the development of derivative software based on IPS Toolkit.

Outputs: Reports, exports, and other outputs generated by IPS Toolkit components using a validly licensed copy may be used by the licence holder for internal programme purposes. They may not be commercialised, redistributed, or published without permission.

What Is Not Permitted — A Plain Statement

To be unambiguous about what this page establishes — the following are not permitted without the express written permission of Technical Documentation World Limited:

• Reproducing any TDW framework, methodology, or guidance in any publication, training course, specification document, standard, or guidance document — whether commercial or non-commercial.
• Using TDW framework names, methodology names, or trademarks in any context that implies endorsement by or association with TDW without written agreement.
• Incorporating TDW methodology — including the WHY-WHO-HOW-WHEN Framework or the International IPS AI Guidance Framework™ — into any specification, standard, or formal governance document without written agreement and appropriate attribution.
• Delivering training based on TDW methodology, frameworks, or course content without a written licence agreement.
• Developing software, tools, or assessment platforms that embed TDW methodology or are derived from TDW frameworks without a written licence agreement.
• Publishing, presenting, or distributing TDW position papers or substantial extracts from them without permission.

We are aware that the frameworks and methodologies developed by TDW are observed, referenced, and in some cases absorbed by others — including by organisations with formal roles in the governance of the specifications our work addresses. This page establishes clearly and publicly that such absorption without permission and attribution is not acceptable and is inconsistent with the intellectual property rights described here.

Reporting Suspected Infringement

If you are aware of content, tools, training, or published material that appears to replicate TDW intellectual property without permission or attribution, please contact us at michael@techdataworld.com.

We take intellectual property infringement seriously and will address it directly and proportionately.

Licensing and Permissions

If you wish to use any TDW intellectual property — whether for training, publication, tool development, specification work, or any other purpose — we welcome that conversation.

We license our frameworks and methodology under appropriate commercial terms and are open to discussing partnership, licensing, and collaboration arrangements that are fair to all parties.

Please include in your enquiry a clear description of what you wish to use, the purpose and context of the proposed use, the audience and distribution, and whether the use is commercial or non-commercial.

We aim to respond to all licensing enquiries within five working days.

Legal Basis

All intellectual property described on this page is protected under applicable United Kingdom law including the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, the Trade Marks Act 1994, and applicable international intellectual property conventions.

Technical Documentation World Limited is registered in England and Wales.

Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. If you require legal advice in relation to intellectual property matters, you should consult a qualified solicitor.

Version History

This page is maintained and updated as TDW's portfolio of intellectual property develops. The date of last update is shown at the top of this page.

March 2026 — Initial publication covering WHY-WHO-HOW-WHEN Framework, International IPS AI Guidance Framework™, IPS Toolkit™ component trademarks, TDW Position Paper series, Making Data Work™, Clarity — Confidence — Competence™, MBDE™, and SpiralLearn.