Intellectual Property Policy
1. Rights are defined by the agreement
The project agreement should identify which final deliverables the client may use, for what purpose, whether rights are exclusive and whether an assignment or license is intended. It should also state any conditions, such as full payment of amounts properly due, that apply to the agreed transfer or use.
The possession of a file or payment of an invoice does not, by itself, replace a signed instrument where a written assignment is required. Under U.S. copyright law, an ownership transfer generally requires a writing signed by the owner or authorized agent. Commissioned work should not be assumed to qualify automatically as work made for hire.
2. Client-provided materials
You retain the rights you hold in the text, trademarks, logos, photographs, existing designs, data and other assets you provide. You authorize use of those materials to the extent reasonably necessary to perform the agreed services. This does not give us an unrestricted right to publish the materials or use them for an unrelated purpose.
You are responsible for ensuring that supplied materials may be used for the requested project and that necessary permissions have been obtained. Identify license restrictions, attribution requirements or confidentiality obligations before the work relies on the asset. We may ask for clarification or a substitute if the intended use is uncertain.
3. Our pre-existing materials and methods
Tools, general methods, know-how, templates and resources developed outside the specific engagement remain associated with their existing owner unless expressly transferred. A project may benefit from reusable design knowledge without transferring ownership of every underlying method or resource.
If a pre-existing element is necessary to use an agreed final deliverable, the agreement should identify the relevant license or permitted use. It should not leave the client with a final design that cannot lawfully be used for its stated purpose. Ownership of a general method and the right to use a delivered design are separate questions.
4. Final approved deliverables
The agreement should distinguish final approved work from drafts, rejected directions and exploratory alternatives. It should identify the specific files or materials covered by the client's rights. A broad label such as design package is not a substitute for identifying what is included in the handoff and rights grant.
Unless a different written arrangement applies, delivery is intended to support the agreed business purpose, subject to the licenses and conditions actually granted. A client requiring exclusive ownership, a broad right to modify or sublicense, or rights across additional products should have those requirements documented before the engagement is accepted.
5. Editable files and exports
Editable source files, linked libraries, prototype access and image exports are different deliverables. Their inclusion should be specified in the proposal. A delivered export does not automatically include every working file, external library or account used in its preparation.
Where editable files are included, the parties should clarify the format, tool version, necessary fonts and other dependencies. Access to a cloud document may depend on the client's account or license. These practical access conditions do not, by themselves, define whether copyright has been assigned or licensed.
6. Third-party fonts, images and other assets
A font, stock image, icon set, UI kit or other third-party material remains subject to its own license. The relevant license may limit website use, embedding, redistribution, modification, user count or transfer to another organization. The client may need to purchase or maintain a separate license for implementation.
Third-party purchases and responsibility for licensing should be approved and recorded before the asset becomes a project dependency. We do not represent that a paid design service makes all external assets free or removes their attribution requirements. If the agreed use changes, the license may need to be reviewed again.
7. Drafts and alternative directions
Working sketches, unselected concepts and intermediate files may be created to explore the design. Unless the project agreement says otherwise, they are not automatically final deliverables or approved for production use. Their status should be clarified if a client wants to retain or develop a discarded direction.
A draft can contain incomplete content, unlicensed temporary imagery or unresolved interaction decisions. It should not be treated as ready for launch solely because it was visible during a review. The final handoff should identify the approved materials and any remaining limitations.
8. Confidentiality and portfolio use
Project materials should be used for relevant service purposes and handled consistently with the accepted agreement and applicable obligations. If a separate confidentiality arrangement is required, it should be in place before restricted materials are shared. Publicly accessible information and confidential project information are not treated as interchangeable.
We do not take a general website inquiry as permission to publish client names, project screenshots or confidential content. Any permitted portfolio use should be agreed in writing, including the materials, timing and any restrictions. A project can require anonymization, delayed publication or no public use.
9. Trademarks and brand clearance
Client trademarks and brand assets are used only within the rights and instructions provided for the project. Interface design does not automatically include trademark clearance, registration or an opinion that a name, symbol or visual direction is legally available in every market.
If brand clearance is important, obtain an appropriate review before committing to use. Aesthetic originality and legal availability are related but different issues. A design recommendation should not be interpreted as a legal guarantee that no third party can make a claim.
10. Website materials and process demonstration
The text, layout, imagery and design presentation of the Parkhurst Interface website are provided for evaluating and understanding the business. You may view the site and use its intended functions. Republishing its substantive content or using its branding for another business requires the relevant permission.
The process interface is an illustrative explanation of design stages, not a downloadable client product or evidence of a completed engagement. Any website image or demonstration element can have its own rights history. It should not be assumed available for unrestricted commercial reuse merely because it appears on a public page.
11. Concerns about unauthorized material
If you believe material used in a Parkhurst Interface deliverable or on this website infringes a right you hold, contact us with enough detail to identify the material, the right claimed and your authority to raise the issue. Include a reliable way to respond and any relevant supporting information.
We can review the claim, relevant permissions and project context and take appropriate steps. Do not send unnecessary sensitive information or assume that a general notice resolves every factual or legal question. Nothing in this policy limits a lawful right to seek a remedy or requires a rights holder to miss a legal deadline.
12. Practical questions before work begins
Please raise requirements concerning ownership, exclusivity, source files, third-party resources, modification, sublicensing and portfolio restrictions before accepting a proposal. Those decisions can affect the scope, fee and way files are prepared for delivery.
A clear written record protects both the intended business use and the rights associated with underlying materials. Questions about the rights in a specific deliverable should identify the project and file rather than rely on a general assumption. Contact Parkhurst Interface using the details below.
Contact Parkhurst Interface
EMAIL: projects@parkhurstinterface.com
ADDRESS: 6601 Westown Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA 50266
PHONE: +1 (641) 500-7004