The “Pros” and Cons of Spec Work

Published on Wednesday, August 12, 2009 – 7:00 pm

Fire

In this article I outline the so called “pros” and cons of speculative work and then outline other’s opinions on the debate… If you haven’t already guessed it, I am against spec work. Let me explain - it’s worth the read.

What is “spec work”?

Speculative work (or free pitching) is any job for which the client expects to see examples or a finished piece of design before agreeing to pay a fee or compensation.

The term “crowdsourcing” is sometimes used however this is not spec work, however, some do use this term to cover up the fact that what they are actually offering is spec work. Do not let this vernacular term deceive you.

Difference between spec work and crowdsourcing:

Crowdsourcing: “Vote for our new logo, we will use the one you all like the most!” This means the logos have already been designed (and hopefully not via spec).

Spec or Free Pitching: “We need a logo, someone design one for us and we will pick the one we like.”

Spec work is a lose, lose situation. Let me explain why.

What is wrong with spec work?

No Spec

While a client may feel they don’t want to invest money until seeing some work, designers should not have to prove their worth (do spec) to get a job, though this is the least part of the worry. Instead, clients should choose a designer based on their portfolio and experience and commit to building a working relationship with him or her. Only then will both the client and designer see the best results.

On a side note, talking on behalf of all designers, I would like to say that if a client can’t look at a designer’s style and quality of work (let alone the awards, testimonials or education) and put trust in their services, then they are usually not a client you want to do business with. Developing a working business relationship is all about educating the client and building trust.

An example of spec work: Design Contests

“Design contests” are one of the most common forms of spec and one of the most dangerous. A company will put out a request for a design (eg. a logo design) inviting anyone and everyone to submit work. Often hundreds of designers will submit a design, but only the chosen work, the winner, will be paid… and that is not even guaranteed - even on prepaid contests.

Let me explain the negatives of this situation for both clients and designers.

“Pros” For Clients Using Spec

Pros for clients

Before looking at all the negatives of spec work, some claim that there are positive sides to designing on spec. I want to examine the so called “pros” of why consumers (those that need the designs) are attracted to using design contests and suggest reasons why these pros really are not so “pro”.

  • “Cheaper” Cost & More Variations

One of the main attractions of using spec work is the so called “cheaper cost” & the fact you get more variations & ideas. The typical scenario goes “Wow, I can get 200 different variations for $500″. On the surface, this may appear cheaper however if you dig deeper you will find that this - in nearly every case - is not so.

Please read on to view the many cons of designing via spec.

Cons For Clients Using Spec

Cons for clients

Summarised below are 11 cons for clients designing via spec. These 11 pointers are explained in more depth below this summary.

  1. Chance Of Plagiarised Work
  2. Unoriginal Ideas & Designs
  3. No Protection
  4. Inferior Quality Designs
  5. No Research or Development
  6. Limited or No Revisions
  7. Unproductive Time Wasting
  8. The Client is not an Educated Design Professional
  9. Unethical & Immoral (and possibly Illegal)
  10. Little Communication & Involvement In The Design Process
  11. You Build A Negative Relationship Built On Distrust

Client negatives of spec work:

  • 1. Chance Of Plagiarised Work

One of the biggest reasons not to use design competitions is the fact that so many of the designs are copied from elsewhere. There have been numerous, numerous reports on theft from elsewhere especially within the logo design industry.

It goes without saying that this can get you into a lot of legal trouble if caught with plagiarised work.

And in some cases, “designers” (evil quotes there) are doing spec work with the intent of suing the company further down the road. I wonder how many people have ever thought about that?

  • 2. Unoriginal Ideas & Designs

More often than not, designers who enter these contests are often using template work, which means the work is unoriginal and may have been used for another client. In some cases, it can lead to problems many months down the track such as when a rejected design gets used for another contest. There are also numerous examples of this happening to many unfortunate business owners.

  • 3. No Protection

Most professional designers have an agreement or contract that they send to their clients… these contracts protect both the client and the designer while also establishing a trusting, working relationship. In nearly all jobs posted on design contest sites, there is no contract what so ever which leaves the client and designer at much higher risk throughout the whole design process. Who owns the copyright? What are the restrictions for the design? What are the terms and conditions?

  • 4. Inferior Quality Designs

Although you can find some great individual talent on design contest sites, the vast majority of the users have little or no knowledge of what “good” design actually is, let alone know how to communicate an intended message for your company. This raises the chance that the final output will be inferior to what could have been achieved by using a professional designer.

This leads me to the next point…

  • 5. No Research or Development

Most professional designers will have some form of questionnaire for clients to fill out to ensure that the final design will be reflective of the needs of the business and target market, unlike contest sites.

For an example see either my design brief page or my logo design questionnaire.

Without these vital components, the “designer” is only producing decoration, not solving the problem of what the design should be communicating.

  • 6. Limited or No Revisions

Revision rounds are almost non-existent in the context of a contest. Sure, a contest winner could be hired again after being chosen to make a few changes, but in a true client-designer relationship this communication would be constant. The end result would be a collaboration instead of guesswork which also leads me to the next point…

  • 7.Unproductive Time Wasting

Designing via contests takes a lot of time… a client will have to spend numerous hours commenting and looking through the submitted designs picking and choosing what the “best” design is which also leads me to the next point.

The number of designers who aren’t making a penny, while entering dozens of contests, is in the tens of thousands, and you just need to look at the astonishing raw numbers for Crowdspring and 99designs to see for yourself. Wasted time, in terms of unpaid designs submitted, is, quite literally, in the hundreds of years. Yes, that’s hundreds. ~ The Naked Truth

  • 8.You Are Not an Educated Design Professional

When I say “you”, I mean the client wanting the design. The reason one hires a designer in the first place is due to the fact that they are after a professional looking piece of design - one that they could have not done them self. Alas the person needing the design is more than likely, not a professional.

So, how can a client choose the “best” piece of design if they do not even know the basics of design? The fact of the matter is, clients choose the “best” design based purely on style, nothing more. On top of this fact, do clients even know the technicalities & visual issues of what is being presented?

ie. What is the difference between vector and bitmap generated designs? What is the difference between RGB, Pantone or CMYK colours? What print, bleed & trim settings are needed? etc.

The bottom line here is that most clients are unversed in what is really needed and they should be leaving this to a trained, experienced professional.

  • 9. Unethical & Immoral (and possibly Illegal)

Although not directly a con to the client, the fact of the matter is design contests are unethical & immoral. Period.

The very fact that there is only one winner per contest means that the other (usually in the hundreds) designers will get no return for their hard work. To put this into perspective imagine a $500 contest with 100 entries. Second grade maths tells us that each entry is worth $5… that is below minimum wage and to make matters worse, the ‘losers’ will not even receive that $5.

Essentially, design contests are like a lottery to the extent that some even question the legalities of them.

  • 10. Little Communication & Involvement In The Design Process

When working with a professional designer you collaborate together throughout the whole design process to achieve the desired outcome. From creating the first initial design brief, right through to the sketches, brainstorming, development, feedback, revisions and delivery.

When designing on spec, all you provide is a short (often less than a paragraph) design brief and then receive the design. There is no involvement… let alone after sale customer support.

  • 11. Negative Relationship Built On Distrust

If potential clients are asking one or several designers to show work, they are immediately establishing a negative relationship. Instead of building a long lasting relationship with a single designer, they are often asking several to submit work with little contact between any of them.

If you are still not convinced, read this article for 16 more reasons why to NOT use design contests or read some of SpecWatch ’s examples of design contests gone wrong.

“Pros” For Designers Doing Spec

Pros for designers doing spec

The people who are “for” spec work often have these arguments saying why spec work is benefiting the world.

They claim that contest sites provide:

  • a world wide access & equal playing field
  • a choice of work to choose from
  • a chance to gain experience
  • a chance to build your portfolio
  • a chance to gain a small monetary reward
  • a chance to gain more work
  • a chance to meet people

But in nearly all cases, you can find this right on your doorstep, without working on spec…

If a designer is wanting to build up their portfolio and do all of the above, all you need to do is approach your local non-profit organisation (or local businesses) and offer them your skills, free of charge.

This will give you experience, allow you to improve your customer relation skills, build up your business network all while giving back to the community and getting exposure for your work. There is also a chance that the organisation will pay you for your work and the work may lead you to more (paid) work too. It’s a win-win for all and certainly not a waste of time - like spec work.

Cons For Designers Doing Spec

Cons for designers

Apart from all of the negatives mentioned above, there are numerous more reasons why designers should not participate in spec work.

  • It devalues the design industry
  • There is a lot of work, with little, to no pay
  • There is no copyright or legal protection
  • The winning designs are chosen purely by the client’s personal taste
  • There is little interaction with the client
  • It is very time consuming

Still not convinced? Here are 10 more reasons why not to do spec work .

Grey Area: Volunteering / Pro Bono Work

Grey

Volunteering is one area that you could is a ‘grey’ area. Jennifer Bender from AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) answered this question quite well in regards to AIGA using volunteered students for some of their design work. This response can be applied to the topic of volunteering & pro bono work in general.

“AIGA works with designers and firms to create promotional materials including posters, event programs, event web sites, etc. AIGA’s policy is to always provide an honorarium for design projects as compensation . While we realize it is not set at market rates, it recognizes that no design should be expected without compensation. Implementation, such as printing costs, postage and paper, are covered by AIGA and/or an interested sponsor.

The difference between this and speculative work is that our volunteer designers are never required to do work up front for free before a contract or project begins. Each designer knows explicitly beforehand the terms we are able to offer, which is meant as our demonstration that every designer’s work has significant value, knowing that there are both monetary and non-monetary considerations in any project. Designers typically send us a portfolio of their past work, then have the opportunity to review a design brief and accept or decline the project. At that time, a contract is executed with a commitment to an honorarium, after which work on the project begins.”

Official Association’s Views:

AGDA (Australian Graphic Design Association) also have a firm “no-spec” stance on the subject.

As quoted in the AGDA Code Of Ethics :

4.1 Predatory pricing (free pitching)
AGDA discourages members from predatory pricing practices such as free pitching, loss leading and other pricing below break-even. Members should be aware that such practices will damage the economic viability of their business.

and then continues on with:

6.2 Free pitching
AGDA is unequivocally opposed to the unfair manipulation of designers with the aim of garnering unpaid work (commonly known as ‘free pitching’). Client practices which do damage to a member’s business are those that award projects or commissions on the basis of the commissioner’s acceptance of unpaid design submissions (eg. unpaid competitive tendering or speculative work)

AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) also has a firm “no-spec” stance:

AIGA believes that doing speculative work—that is, work done without compensation, for the client’s speculation—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.

The new AIGA President, Debbie Millman has her say on the spec topic:

“I am personally vigorously, passionately and fundamentally AGAINST designers being asked to do work on spec and neither I nor my firm will ever participate in speculative work. I have said it before and I will say it again: Speculative work denigrates both the agencies and the designers that participate. If we give away our work for free, if we give away our talent and our expertise, we give away more than the work. We give away our souls.”

Other’s opinions against spec work:

Many have spoken about their distaste of spec work before, including myself in the articles Why logo design does not cost $5.00 and How NOT to design a logo… below I quote & link to just a few more designers who have spoken out against spec work.

Andrew Hyde

“It is a major ethical flaw of both parties.”

Update 13.8.09: Check out the site WinWithoutPitching, a website dedicated to growing your firm without spec.

Steve from Logo Factory

{with a sarcastic tone} “Keep in mind that not winning any money after dozens of contests only makes designers try harder. That means, they’ll eventually get better at designing. And they’ll enter more contests that they won’t win. Which will get them even more exposure, helpful stars and comments. So, by not paying designers, you’re [clients] actually helping them be better designers. Strange as it seems, paying designers is bad. Makes them lazy.”

Graphic Push

“It insults everything about the real-world graphic design industry and the hard-working professionals that make a living building long-term client relationships, crafting deep and varied portfolios, and routinely putting their blood, sweat and tears into their work.”

David Airey

“You, as the client, should know that your designer values your business. They’re not providing you with a design based purely on aesthetics, and one that took perhaps 30 minutes to create. They’re looking deep into your business plan, your company mission, your background, your way of dealing with people, and many other aspects of working practices.”

Jeff Fisher

“Those conducting such competitive ventures are not always seeking to take advantage of designers not knowing better. Some simply need to be educated about the design profession and all designers need to take it upon themselves to aid in that education process.”

GB Studio

“A potential client shouldn’t need to see free work on their own project to determine if a firm is capable of doing the project at hand. That’s what a portfolio is for.”

Twitter Poll

Twitter Poll

I also held a poll on Twitter (follow me ) about those who support spec work… at the time of writing over 84% agreed that “No, they didn’t support spec work” and a further 8% were unsure of their decision.

Please cast your vote so we can get a more accurate representation. I wonder how many will change their views after reading this article?

My Own Opinion

If you hadn’t already guessed I am on the “spec work is evil” side of the fence although I am not 100% entirely against it - you could say that I am 99% against it… Spec work isn’t right for all designers (especially due to economies of scale) and all situations and I don’t think anyone would argue that, but the market exists and there clearly is a demand for it - but that is not to say that doing spec work is “right” or ethical…

Design contest sites are not the future of graphic design… nor do I see a time when it ever will be, however, in the long term I believe spec work is going to be detrimental to the design industry… both devaluing design and designers as a whole (while making the world an uglier place). And with that said, it’s sad to say that spec work is definitely here to stay. In fact, design contest sites are now now implementing “corporate services” for large studios which obviously are going to be a direct threat to large existing agencies.

Thus, my opinion is to not support spec work and if you’re with me, I encourage you to send this article to whoever you see involving themselves in spec work so they can make an educated decision too.

Summary

I would like to summarise by quoting two views on how to look at spec work one by very “anti-spec” Andrew Hyde and the other by Jeffrey Kalmikoff who holds a neutral view to the subject.

Andrew Hyde:

“Oh, we have years to watch spec work blow up. There of those of use who care about design, and are speaking up and warning off the practice. I see a house of cards being built up, a developer cashing out on it and nobody warning them of the upcoming wind storm.The warnings are now, whether the community comes to respect the ecosystem, respect their neighbors and friends (I’m not talking about just design here) is yet to be known. Part of me wants to continue writing about this, part of me wants to say ‘I did my part’ and get some popcorn.

So what now? See someone using spec (with the community sites like 99 designs or CrowdSpring)? Forward them this post. Or write your own. We all deserve better.”

Jeffrey Kalmikoff:

“The best thing to do for both sides is to get fully educated. Spend some time researching it. Spend some time talking to people on both sides. Read about the extreme examples. Read about the ones that may-or-may-not be spec depending on how you look at it. Get informed and make up your own mind about it. Sure it’s easier to only discuss this topic with people who have the same point of view as you have, but it’s also somewhat useless. Like anything - if you really care about it, take the time to see all the angles. Besides, how’s that old saying go? Keep your friends close…”

What is your opinion?

Do you have any other pros or cons to add? What is your stance on spec work? Has your opinion been changed after reading this article? Please do let us know.

Sources & References

This article has been crafted over many weeks and has been thoroughly researched and referenced. I thank all who have helped in the creation of this post. Below you will find the articles linked and referenced to throughout this article.


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41 Responses to “The “Pros” and Cons of Spec Work”

  1. Niki Brown on Aug 12, 2009 said:

    Great article! I think spec work is a a lose lose situation for both parties involved. With you design you get what you pay for - end of story.

  2. Charlie on Aug 12, 2009 said:

    Awesome article mate. Well worth the hours you put in.

    Personally, I think spec work has a place so long as prospective clients understand that they will get a tailored and quality product if they pick a dedicated designer.

    It’s up to the designer to educate.

    The quality of spec work in general is low.

  3. Hans Suter on Aug 12, 2009 said:

    I’m against spec because clients cannot even write a decent briefing let alone judge what I propose. Together with my proposal I deliver also the means to judge it.

  4. Matt Chatterley on Aug 12, 2009 said:

    Excellent writeup, which gives a reasonably balanced view of the situation with spec work.

    We are often asked to do things on spec, and although we will at times produce a very rough mock-up for established customers, we do not work on spec - we certainly wouldn’t complete a piece of work in the hope of being paid for it.

    Oddly enough, some customers do not understand this when it is explained - but never mind. The NO SPEC cause is gaining more momentum these days, which can only help in the process of educating new customers..!

  5. Kev Jaques on Aug 12, 2009 said:

    Excellent article Jacob!
    Spec work gets lost in translation!
    Designing for purpose has much greater rewards and the trust issues are so much greater working with a client.
    We’re all in this for the long term, therefore forging relationships that last is essential.

    Spec work is like Housework - it’s Evil!

    Cheers

    Kev

  6. Carson Shold on Aug 12, 2009 said:

    Amazing post, Jacob.

    It’s great to look at both sides of the issue before coming to a final conclusion, something I wish I did a little more in my blog, Spec Work Is Killing The Graphic Design Industry.

    Keep up the good stuff,

    Carson

  7. Abbas on Aug 13, 2009 said:

    The debate rumbles on.

    As i’ve mentioned on another blog in another discussion not too dissimilar to this one, spec work has been around for a while, especially in advertising.

    It’s a necessary part of the job: pitching for contracts by creating speculative concepts for potential clients. I’m a little concerned that all spec work will become tarred with the same brush by misinformed inviduals who read certain blogs and jump on the bandwagon.

    I’m certainly not at all advocating design contests, plagiarism and the like. This is an area that will always exist as long as there are people out there looking to exploit. But that last time I looked this form of spec work is certainly not killing our industry. What’s harming the industry at the moment is the current economic climate, which in turn is having a massive impact on advertising and marketing budgets across the globe.

    If anything, the sort of spec work being campaigned against here serves to highlight the stronger individuals in our field. Company’s that appreciate the value of good design will always pay a good designer/agency a worthy price for their work. This will never change.

  8. Luis Lopez on Aug 13, 2009 said:

    Really excellent and long, long article, but any way you have too many references here that it worth it, in my opinion, I am against for some reasons about the design profession, as David Airey and Jeff Fisher. A client shouldn’t try to get a logo for 0$ because a good logo is more expensive, is not just the logo itself, is the research, the sketching the whole process and developement behind it which is made by professional designers to egt a professional good logo.
    But I think that the kind of contest sites, are more like for students looking for some “real” experience, or a designer in a really really bad moment, I don’t know, because a true professional designer won’t be there, he knows the field and the history behind that kind of spec work.
    But for someone starting, no clients, not real experience, no portfolio , “more than school projects” can make a try and that’s all, when I say that I mean: get in some contest, try to do your best, and time after leave it, becasue you are not gonna go really far that way.
    I even have a few friends, graphic designers that take this kind of design contest just for fun, they try to get better and that is a good way for they to do it, but I know they are leaving it because they already made a good portfolio and they starting to get real and valuable clients, based on the work they did on this kind of sites. I this case they just use it, and leave it as soon as they could.

    When you were starting, never thought about participate on design contest?

  9. Vicki M on Aug 13, 2009 said:

    Well done! This is certainly a hot topic among many young designers that I know and your article very clearly lays out the reality of it all. I will be emailing this on to quite a few people.

    Keep up the awesome work!

    *cheers*

  10. paul on Aug 13, 2009 said:

    Great post Jacob. It’s a iffy situation. Most don’t want to see any spec work (the “nicer” clients) and then you have the ones that would like to see something (through several revisions sometimes) before paying. We just have to find a happy medium place to be in. Want to try to please both but can’t please all.

    Paul

  11. Jeremy Tuber on Aug 13, 2009 said:

    Spot on Jacob, and nice work for putting together such a comprehensive look on the topic!

    I agree with you, I don’t think Spec Work is the future of freelance design but it’s here to stay, at least for a few years.

    While I don’t believe that it’s evil, I certainly don’t support it. Clients/designers have the right to make up their own mind whether they want to partake in this. I wouldn’t touch it with a 10′ pole, but I don’t feel I have the right to tell someone else they can’t (as long as they aren’t breaking laws).

    I think about the type of clients that would be attracted to this type of design, and quite honestly I wonder if I’d want to work with them anyway - they are bottom-feeders and bargain-hunters.

    In terms of convincing designers to be for or against spec work, I think that a healthy, civil exchange of ideas is fine, but I’ve seen both sides post inflammatory, disrespectful remarks - that’s no good.

    Personally I see the future of graphic design combining with other skill sets like web design, marketing and selling. Over the past few months I’ve kept a pulse on what employers are looking for and the traditional graphic design positions are often being replaced with Graphic Designer + some other skill set.

    Anyway just my 2 cents, thx for including me in the conversation.

    jeremy
    beingastarvingartistsucks

  12. Raja Sandhu on Aug 13, 2009 said:

    Hey Jacob -

    Thanks for taking the time to put that together, very appreciated. I will use this as a good logo-designer-hiring-process 101 for my future clients. Expect a link to this from my FAQ page :D

    Keep up the good work :D

    Regards,

    - Raja Sandhu

  13. Brian Yerkes on Aug 13, 2009 said:

    Nice roundup and initial look at the “what spec work is”..

    I recently posted an article looking at the issues with Spec Work and the comments got quite interesting, along with discussion with the owners of one of these design contest websites, check it out

    http://www.brianyerkes.com/why.....-business/

  14. Blair Enns on Aug 13, 2009 said:

    Great undertaking on this topic, Jacob. Nice to see links to all these perspectives living in one place.

    Can I add my 16 Brief Points on Free Pitching to the mix? I think you’ll find it adds some new thinking to the discussion, particularly about what designers can do differently.

    http://www.winwithoutpitching.com/16points

    -Blair Enns

  15. Kiren on Aug 13, 2009 said:

    I guess it’s the sign of the times. Seems like everything is made into shortcuts these days, even logo design. I’ve entered a few contests to design posters. Sounds good with promise of payment and exposure but in the end, you lose all together. I guess it’s a designers job to adapt to the current situation and remember that there are people always looking for quality among the shit that’s around:)

  16. Zach Dunn on Aug 13, 2009 said:

    I’m glad that you brought up the difference between crowdsourcing and spec work. It seems that since so many design contest sites have built up a spec work driven crowdsourcing, that there is often no longer a distinction.

    Crowdsourcing has its place, but it seems that entrepreneurs of this niche try to make it the exclusive business model of anyone trying to commission graphic design work.

    When I’ve talked about spec work in the past, I’ve given the example of “I can build a shed, but that does not make me an architect”. This is one of the most frustrating parts of spec work — when it tries to convince companies that a single professional can be made obsolete by a group of hobbyists.

    It’s interesting to see the number of ways in which crowdsourcing has been done successfully. In most cases, it’s the result of people with spare time doing something they enjoy (Contributing to an article on Wikipedia for example.)

    I believe that in it’s purest form, crowdsourcing shouldn’t immediately benefit only one party. Going back to the Wikipedia example, even though the crowdsourcing is “work” done for free, it’s still benefiting everyone.

    In the typical design contest, the work only benefits a single person/company. The efforts make no difference to anyone else. This isn’t to say that people should only participate for the “greater good” all of the time, but it is something to consider.

  17. Swati K on Aug 13, 2009 said:

    HI Jacob, Brilliant post!
    While I am guilty of being a one-time participant (as a designer) of contest design, after reading a couple articles on spec-work, I am quite against it.

    However, I somehow can’t help asking how different are we from any other industry? Take the entertainment industry for example and their fight against piracy. Or the issues facing sites like Napster and Pirate Bay. Its illegal and there are bodies working on its eradication.

    Sadly for us, the design industry has not yet received the kind of recognition with the mass, that has been earned by our fellow artistes in say music or movie business. But looking at how badly Spec-work is affecting our trade and culture, i wonder if we can use the very idea to educate both the client and designer of these sites.

    Would it be possible to have a governing body, for eg. AIGA, to approve these sites. There could be guidelines and policies that could be followed by each site - where design membership is only granted to candidates with a suitable portfolio. While a minimum fee range ($2.5k - $5k for logos) could be affixed. This in turn would help educate the client, who will know that he is hiring professional services and not hobbyists. He will have to budget a design fee along with his phone and internet bills for the business. They could then go thru the list of designers provided and choose one finalist.

    I am sure there is a lot more than I am probably unaware of, that needs to be addressed in a scenario I speak of. But, I hope you get the drift. its something thats been on my mind ever since I read your post 12 hours ago. Trying to find a solution that works for all, in the long run.

    Sorry about the lengthy comment. But, I would surely love to hear if the idea holds any ground (did i just give away a start-up idea :) or am I running away with my thoughts here.

    cheers,
    Swati

  18. Harprabhjot Paul Chandhoke on Aug 13, 2009 said:

    Good job Jacob, you’ve compiled a thorough and conclusive report. I would like to put a link to this article on my site. If its OK with you. Cheers

  19. Mish on Aug 13, 2009 said:

    Thank you for posting such an informative article. I’m still a student studying graphic design, not really sure how client - designer relationship works. When a client comes to you with a brief, are they required to sign some sort of contract before you begin concept work for them?

  20. Steve - Eightyone Design on Aug 13, 2009 said:

    You may be interested on something that we have recently experienced in regards to spec work - http://www.eightyonedesign.co......rk-article

    We have received some reassuring comments but I admit to briefly questioning my views on spec work.

    Steve

  21. Larissa Jaster on Aug 14, 2009 said:

    Jacob,
    Thanks for such a well researched piece. As a graphic designer, I completely agree that spec work is damaging to the industry. I see that many clients still need to be educated about this and informed on why it is not good practice. I think sites such as Odesk and Elance are adding to the practice of speck work, because many clients looking for cheap work go on there and then request “trial periods” or “tests” from graphic designers. New designers that are anxious to get their first real clients are falling for this practice.

    I posted an article about spec work on my blog as well and will add your link to my article!

  22. Jacob Cass on Aug 14, 2009 said:

    Charlie,
    Yes it is our role to educate, but just because a client knows that they can get a better design elsewhere doesn’t mean spec work “has a place” in my opinion.

    Matt,
    I suppose with established customers it could work, though eventually this could back fire on you, like what happened to Steve from Eighty One Design. And yes, it is good to see the no spec cause gaining momentum.

    Kev,
    Well said.

    Carson,
    Thanks for the link to your article… would be interested to know your opinions now after reading this article? Has anything changed?

    Abbas,
    I do not necessarily agree that it is “necessary part of the job” to pitch for contracts. It is certainly not needed and many successful freelancers and studios do so without it and I think are much better off for doing so. A website that gives advice about winning without pitching is: http://www.winwithoutpitching.com if interested.

    Luis,
    I am not sure if I correctly interpreted your first paragraph, are you saying you are against David and Jeff’s opinions?

    In regards to students looking for real experience, they can do this like in my example by going to local businesses or doing charity work.

    For those in a “really bad moment”, this is probably due to their quality of work not being up to standard. If they go about doing design contests, they will most probably end up losing, which is just going to get them into a bigger hole. My argument is that they can get this real world experience from real clients, not via spec. Wouldn’t you agree?

    And when I started I admit I did enter a few design contests but these were for my local government and for a good cause. It was to raise awareness for the effects of drugs and alcohol on teenagers. And this was before I knew anything about spec or had an education in design. In the end it comes down to personal choice, though I wish I had known about spec before engaging in it.

    Paul,
    You may find this website quite handy: http://www.winwithoutpitching.com

    Jeremy,
    Personally, I don’t think spec will ever go away, in fact it is on the rise. And I agree with you about each having their own choice, though are all people making educated decisions? I don’t believe so and that is the problem. And like you touched on, spec posts should not be about “convincing designers” but rather, educating them - letting them decide. I tried to do this in this article, though I must admit, it did have a slight bias. However, in saying that, I believe after all is weighed in, the pros definitely outweigh the cons for both the client and designer in nearly all situations. From here? It’s up to the individual to decide.

    Raja,
    No worries, I enjoyed putting it together.

    Brian,
    Thanks for the link, looks like a rather heated debate… as like any spec work post, except strangely this one.

    Blair,
    Of course you can add it… silly of me not to post it as I had read it just a week earlier. I’ve also added your link to win without pitching.

    Kiren,
    The hard part is finding the people looking… good luck with it.

    Zach,
    Yes, when I was reading through all the spec work posts, it seemed that there was no clear distinction… and spec sites actually use this vernacular term to their advantage. I think you have it summed up well with the whole “benefiting everyone” way of thinking and is certainly something to consider.

    Swati K,
    I suppose that every industry is facing different challenges as it moves through the information age, but it is those that stand up for what is right or ethical that really make a difference. In regards to your idea, I can see quite a few flaws in it and essentially it still leaves designers working for no guaranteed payment if I have interpreted what you have said correctly.

    Harpabhjot,
    Of course, please feel free.

    Mish,
    Personally I use a contract for my larger jobs and take a 50% deposit. For smaller jobs I do not tend to worry but I still recommend it as it covers you both in case any problems arise.

    Steve,
    Thanks for linking the article, just had a read of it… I don’t think you were being arrogant, just acting on instinct. It’s certainly a point to consider but I still stand on my anti spec podium.

    Larissa
    Thank you for the link out from the article and for educating the masses about the damage of spec work.

  23. Astrid on Aug 14, 2009 said:

    Hi Jacob, thank you for this long and balanced article. I would like to link it to my blog as I like the comprehensiveness of it.

    Thanks
    Astrid

  24. Travis on Aug 14, 2009 said:

    Wow… never really thought about spec work as being downright unethical. I don’t think spec work is damaging because anyone with real design capabilities understands that you should simply say no. Other wannabe designers are still going to be undercutting/producing crap… and some people will pay for it.

    The bottom line for me is that client relationships are built on trust. Definitely a red flag if the customer starts out the relationship on spec.

  25. Mandy on Aug 14, 2009 said:

    Thanks for the in depth post. I definitely agree that there are clients out there that use spec work to gather ‘free’ ideas. With design companies willing to pitch for free - you can see how it devalues the design industry.

  26. Abbas on Aug 14, 2009 said:

    Jacob, I can’t really agree with the view that pitching is not needed.

    I’ve worked for several agencies and a number of advertising companies where the process of preparing for a pitch and pitching to a client is a vital part of the process.

    The link provided is very interesting and puts across some valid pointers. But it’s one viewpoint, from one person - it doesn’t necessarily make it gospel. It’s not something I would throw my weight behind.

    It seems that there’s a crusade against spec work at the moment. And i’m all for parts of it. I think you, and a number of other blogs are doing a good job of discouraging certain elements of it. But to lump all forms of spec work together and point the finger is a little misinformed.

  27. Yael K. Miller on Aug 16, 2009 said:

    Fantastic article. I really love and appreciate how you took the time to explain the problems with spec work point-by-point.

    I will definitely be using this as a reference when sharing with people the evils — excuse me, the downsides — of doing and using spec work.

  28. Luis Lopez on Aug 16, 2009 said:

    About David and Jeff I meant, I’m against spec contest in the professional way, real professional shouldn’t be on this kind of situation.
    In the student example I also thinks they have a lot of choices to get experience but I thinks contest are one of those that’s all, as they can work for free or charity work they can try a contest. Coming to the professionals again, you are right totally right if is a really talented designer normally is not gonna be in a position like that, if you are talented and have done great thing in the past, you sure get work, thanks to your talent and the good results with your old projects.

  29. Otba Mushaweh on Aug 17, 2009 said:

    Hi jacob,
    Thanks for this long post, really it is a great post..!
    I think you forget a point/issue that is very important, the point”or headline” is what will happen if the clients doesn’t like your designs ? I guess it deserve to discuss in your post.
    I am not 100% entirely against spec work and contests. I know it is not a good in every time but there are nice contests like “Smashing Magazine Logo Contest” it is come out with nice logo for Smashing Magazine .
    when i read your post i was thinking in solutions for spec work and contests, i guess it is just needed to Some regulation and order of it.
    maybe it will be a good idea if we make an organization/company to save the rights of clients and designers, also Supervise and regulation on contests..!!

    thanks

  30. Jacob Cass on Aug 17, 2009 said:

    Astrid,
    Of course, please feel free.

    Travis,
    I still believe it is damaging as many people do it without realising what they are actually doing (ie. points outlined in the article).

    Mandy,
    That is what many people are afraid of, the rise of spec work getting into the mainstream.

    Abbas,
    As I have not worked for an agency yet my opinions are really based on what I have learned and experienced in my short career as a freelance designer so I can’t really vouch for something I have not experienced so I leave that one there though I would be interested in what you meant by “But to lump all forms of spec work together and point the finger is a little misinformed.” What other types of spec work are you referring to and what has been misinformed exactly? Thanks for your responses too.

    Luis,
    Yes I agree that it is a choice to get experience, especially for those who don’t go to design school however I still vouch for what I have written in the article.

    Otba,
    In regards to organisations trying to save rights of clients and designers be sure to follow the website http://no-spec.com and http://www.specwatch.info/ who are doing a good job at it.

  31. Narendra on Aug 25, 2009 said:

    Really Great Post! Strongly agree with Jacob because I’ve experienced this. I’m a graphic designer and have entered in few contest and believe me the design were submitted were very poor. Some of them were looking like someone has designed without even knowing what is the meaning of a term brand, logo, identity etc.
    It really disappointing for other skilled designers which works hard in research, communication, understanding the client’s business and provide a effective solution. How any client expects an 5 million dollar’s company’s logo in just 50 dollars? It’ really unethical and unprofessional for clients and solution provider both.

    Before few months I’d same thought that 99designs and other sites are good but as I seen their submission and the client’s selection criteria I refused the idea to go ahead any more with this. Thanks for this great article as I was right in my opinion.

  32. Jacob Cass on Aug 25, 2009 said:

    Narendra,
    Good on you for your decision, and all the best!

  33. phil on Sep 13, 2009 said:

    this is a poor, silly article. I appreciate the emotion behind it, and I am personally against ’spec work’ in a generic sense, but almost all the arguments he makes are so logically flawed, it’s painful!

    “Spec work is bad because there is no contract…well then, get a contract!

    “It ‘devalues’ the design industry”… how?
    I dont like the idea of spec work because the law of physics and the conservation of energy tells us that something has to come from something else and you cant consistently build a quality product out of nothing, but we all do tons of ’spec’ work as it is anyway..building a portfolio site, doing a resume..its spec, right?

  34. Mikhail MAD01 on Sep 19, 2009 said:

    Very fucking true. The few contests I’ve entered so far have left me deeply sceptical about their selection processes, as well as about whether I should ever bust my ass to make a fresh artpiece for someone (not a personal piece) with no guaranteed pay. And the artists that I do look up to and who are established industry pros are obviously not running around trying to win a zillion fucking contests but rather have developed their style and now ppl come to THEM.

  1. 7 Trackback(s)

  2. Aug 14, 2009: The Problem with Spec Work | Larissa Jaster Graphic Design Studio
  3. Aug 17, 2009: The “Pros” and Cons of Spec Work | Design Newz
  4. Aug 18, 2009: Speculative work & pitching | Creative Agency Secrets
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  8. Aug 27, 2009: shyn :: Spec Work :: August :: 2009

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