In a field where deliverables are often intangible, intellectual property in digital design is an underestimated asset. However, protecting UX/UI creations isn’t just about legalities: it’s also a way to give value to your work, assert authorship, and define usage rights. Whether you’re a freelance designer, studio, or client, understanding what copyright law covers (or doesn’t) in the digital space has become essential.
What is intellectual property?
Intellectual property refers to the rights granted to individuals over the creations of their minds. It is divided into two main categories:
- Industrial property: This includes inventions (patents), trademarks, and industrial designs.
- Copyright (literary and artistic property): This includes literary, musical, and artistic works, as well as software, all protected by copyright law.
In the context of digital design, interfaces, mockups, graphic elements, and visual content are protected from the moment they are created, without requiring any formal registration.
Why is it essential to protect digital creations?
Protecting digital creations offers several key benefits:
- Preventing infringement: Enables action against unauthorized use of your work.
- Enhancing credibility: A recognized creator inspires trust among partners and clients.
- Fostering innovation: Recognition of rights stimulates creativity and innovation.
- Ensuring fair compensation: Economic rights secure financial rewards for the use of one’s work.
Creators’ rights: moral and economic
Copyright includes:
- Moral rights: These are inalienable and perpetual. They allow the creator to claim authorship and object to any distortion of their work.
- Economic rights: These allow the creator to authorize or forbid the use of their work and to receive remuneration.
In collaborative projects, it’s common to assign certain economic rights while preserving moral rights.
Acknowledging the designer’s role in the creative process
Beyond legal protection, it’s crucial to recognize the designer’s role in a project’s success:
- Attribution: Credit the designer in publications and presentations.
- Permission to share: Allow designers to include their work in their portfolios or on professional platforms.
- Co-design encouragement: Involve designers in strategic project decisions.
In short
Recognizing digital and design creators is essential to their success. By protecting copyright and highlighting the designer’s contribution, we foster a more respectful, innovative, and collaborative ecosystem.
At BluDeskSoft, we are committed to respecting and promoting creators’ rights, believing this approach enriches every project we take on.