The relationship between intellectual property rights (IPRs) and the development of creativity is always a controversial topic. However, it has seldom been explored from the user-centered design (UCD) perspective. This paper describes how the UCD approach has been employed to develop Design Patent Retrieval Application (acronym: DsPLAi), a mobile app aimed to integrate IPRs related information into early design processes to enhance designers’ IP practice and to facilitate the creative process. Interview studies were first conducted to identify end-users’ understanding of IPRs and related practices. Next, participatory design workshops with designers and IP processionals were organized to understand the interaction between the two parties and their needs, thereby deriving requirements for DsPLAi. A prototype of the app was developed and evaluated with ten industrial designers. The prototype received positive feedback in the usability evaluation. The empirical results showed that the provision of IPRs related information at an early stage could be helpful to the design process and that the designers were positive about the use of DsPLAi in their daily design routines.

知识产权（IPR）与创造力之间的关系一直是一个有争议的话题。但是，很少从用户中心设计（UCD）的角度进行探讨。本文介绍了如何使用UCD方法来开发外观设计专利检索应用程序（简称：DsPLAi），该移动应用程序旨在将与知识产权相关的信息集成到早期设计流程中，以增强设计人员的IP实践并促进创作过程。首先进行访谈研究，以确定最终用户对知识产权和相关实践的理解。接下来，组织了与设计师和知识产权游行者一起的参与式设计研讨会，以了解双方之间的互动及其需求，从而得出DsPLAi的要求。该应用程序的原型已开发，并由十位工业设计师进行了评估。该原型在可用性评估中获得了积极的反馈。实证结果表明，尽早提供IPR相关信息可能对设计过程有所帮助，并且设计人员对DsPLAi在日常设计中的使用持肯定态度。