SummaryThe principles underlying the development of the Present State Examination and the instruments and computer programmes associated with it are discussed in the light of comments made in three recent papers by psychiatrists trained in the German tradition of clinical phenomenology. Many of their comments are cogent and highly relevant to the future development of the system. Some common misunderstandings are also considered; in particular, those that lead to results being interpreted outside the limits of the specifications laid down. The potential for improvement in the system is emphasized and the next stage of development briefly described.