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Spec work is a 'caveat emptor'

Recently the AIGA community has laid down the hard-line on spec work. Visit sites like AIGA's comments on the practice http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/position-spec-work , or for giggles find video discussions on it on YouTube for more information on the official word. But years ago, I heard that same gospel, and I still didn't believe it. I'm the kind who likes to be proven that there's electricity in the socket. And, of course I learned the value of not doing work for free. And, like most people, I'll tried it once.

Doing work that doesn't pay you adequately is a dis-service to you and your client... Why? Because when they need successive changes they tend to forget that you're a steal. It's called "responsibility creep" As designers, we're paid not only for product but also for being professionals who call people back and yada, yada, yada. And not to mention doing this on top of your "real job": other projects, your homework, etc. has a cost all its own. And by the way a few months of office phone bills is about $200. So now, I'm pleased to see that many people's agree that spec work is not such a good thing.

This revelation is clearest after using your experience and busting your butt for a couple weeks to either not get recognized or make a million changes for a pittance or have a great project suffer from under-appreciation. I've come to understand that most effective designers aren't Whoudini, but they work hard to understand the client and the work is a give-and-take process which is best represented by a mix of skill (at answering the design question) and relationship with the client (and their issues).

I've come to think that spec relationships are mostly evil unless I really get what I want... My compromise is this: "Let me do whatever I want and you pay for it." Hear me Nike?

Seriously, I think that spec is only cool if you are totally getting something out of it for yourself. And by that, it can mean doing something for a cause you care about.

Spec can be worthwhile on occasion, but the notion that one would open herself up to a contest that she might not win and essentially refuse paying opportunities seems inconsistent with the respect for the profession that I've come to expect.

I don't think I'll ever look for a discount surgeon or dentist and with as much badly designed stuff there is out there, it seems that we can't say there is no need for professional designers. I had a business consultant who once told me instead of donating your design, make enough money so you can contribute to the causes you care about.

So, non-profits while there are things worth donating, is it a good policy for you to require handouts at every turn and have everyone--not just designers--scrambling to avoid your projects?

Even when there is no money, there is still a budget, still a process. Inform people of such and respect their time and you'll get "partners," not "showhorses" trying to outshine each other...

Chris Jones
chris@baltimore.aiga.org

Posted by baltimore  |  June 15, 2009