Spec work ? it’s work for architect too, i think
December 30, 2007
“Will you show me a few samples of your ideas for my project so I can get a feel for your work?”
My answer is always no. we has a great entry about spec work in graphic design, and in short: don’t do it. You should be able to refer potential clients to your portfolio to get a feel for the type and quality of the work you do. If your portfolio feels thin, offer to do some pro-bono work for a cause you believe in, or rework pieces you’ve done that that didn’t make the portfolio cut.
In order to explain what spec work is, imagine this scenario:
I went for a dental check-up yesterday. After the dentist inspected my teeth, she suggested some work to prevent further tooth decay. I told her to go ahead, and if the dental work was satisfactory, I’d be more than happy to pay. She responded that she wouldn’t be able to do that, because she normally provides a service when a fee is agreed upon up-front. I said I’d let her know after I checked in with other local dentists.
Sure, this scenario is unlikely. When you visit the dentist, an appropriate rate of pay is expected for professional services. Yet every day, graphic design professionals are asked to provide free services in the hope of being paid if the result is acceptable. It’s called speculative work, or free pitching, ’spec’ for short, and is considered unethical among leading graphic design associations around the world.
Why free pitching for graphic design doesn’t work
Design contests and spec work can be frustrating for designers, who feel the value of their profession is not understood. In a speculative scenario, the graphic designer is chosen for the product produced, and not for the service offered. Graphic design is not a commodity. If graphic design becomes a commodity, then the designers’ role in the spectrum of business services will be greatly reduced. Personally, I don’t undertake spec work, and have published this blog post to educate those potential clients who ask me about it.
AIGA, the professional association for design, publish their stance on spec work on their website:
AIGA believes that doing speculative work seriously compromises the quality of work that clients are entitled to and also violates a tacit, long-standing ethical standard in the communication design profession worldwide. AIGA strongly discourages the practice of requesting that design work be produced and submitted on a speculative basis in order to be considered for acceptance on a project.
If you’re a designer, and you receive a request for speculative work, write or call the issuer. There’s a chance they may not even realise this practice is unethical. The NO!SPEC website offers sample letters to get you started.
Why most design firms won’t do spec work:
The bottom line is that graphic design is a business. You wouldn’t run your business by handing out your product or service for free in the hope that someone might feel like paying for it, and you shouldn’t expect a design firm or designer to do so.
Some firms will do spec work, but they usually fall into one of two categories. They are either brand new firms with no experience trying to land their first clients, or they are huge firms that only work with clients that have multi-million dollar advertising budgets.
When I was starting out, wanting to expand my portfolio, I offered my design services at a very cheap rate, and also undertook some pro-bono work for non-profit organisations. There’s still some pro-bono involved in what I do, but I no longer sell myself short. Whilst it may be tempting to under-charge, you’ll find yourself working with clients who don’t appreciate the true value of your skills. More often than not, this will lead to hour after hour of revision before a suitable design is reached, if one is reached at all.
Posted in design process, Out Sourcing
April 19th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Well said! As a director of an interior design company planning to set up a new, completely independent business I think it kills the competition and the clients are getting used to that kind of service. It ends up on free specs for 60% of our clients…Fortunately it’s all for existing clients that we believe to get an orders straight afterwards. Fortunately. Against my profession at all.