Why Spec Work Is Bad Any Way You Slice It

[pixelita]

I'm a card carrying breast beating member of the No-Spec initiative. http://www.no-spec.com

Jeffrey Zeldman reprinted a 2004 article he wrote about this very issue. Like us, he absolutely refuses to work "on spec." No matter how hungry we are and how slow things are, we simply won't do it. But he said it better than I ever could (http://blog.pixelita.com/13/cute-cat-whats-his-name-annoying-customer/). Take it away, Jeffrey:

http://www.zeldman.com/2007/08/14/dont-design-on-spec/

[IRN101]

What does this have to do with SL?

[bml]

it's related to the multiple design "contests" here and the "popular" requests for free mock-ups before actually selecting a designer.

[IRN101]

Makes no sense to me...

If someone sees no value in what they do, what does it matter? I hate to say it like this, but if they are so unprofessional as to give their work away free then who cares? The work won't be good enough to meet the clients' needs anyway. Makes me look better. Those that would steal the work aren't worth working for anyway. They will merely do something else, like a chargeback. Thieves are thieves. Fools are fools.

Coming into a place like SL and knowing there are some lousy designers on here would make me ask for samples or some sort of mock-up. While I would use escrow, I would never pay up front.

In an ideal world anyone you hired would be awesome, they would have the perfect experience and style for your project, and you could take them at their word. But that just isn't real.

My wife is in real estate. Before you get a listing you go out and give a presentation, price, and a marketing plan to the seller. They can take that info and try and sell their house on their own. You get nothing. The deciding factor is in how you present yourself. If you can't do that well, then you have no business being in the business. I feel the same about design work.

I have been designing for so many years I can't really remember. I have seen hundreds, if not thousands, of "designers" come and go. Most of them failed because they couldn't say "no" and live with it. It is all in the way you approach the situation.

[pixelita]

That behavior .. asking for comps from desperate or unprofessional programmers -- or newbies who don't know any better and are desparate to start a portfolio (and who are basically the only ones who would lower themselves to do spec work).. it's a vicious cycle and it needs to be broken. Web masters get the notion .. and they come by it honestly in that respect, that there is no talent out there. Programmers who expend time and effort toward an end that is not met (they are repeatedly not hired) become increasingly frustrated. But it's easy enough to see what a graphic artist or web designer is capable of. That is what a portfolio is for: so the prospective web master can get an idea of the talent and style the programmer possesses. Then, once he chooses a programmer, they sit down together (not literally you understand), and work on the project with a complete and clear understanding of the effect desired. You can't do that based on a scanty writeup on a job board.

[IRN101]

Getting all upset because someone asked for free work is just nonsese. The real thing people are angry about is that if they say no, someone else might do it. Just say no and move on. Some people just can't do that.

[IRN101]

You can't do that based on a scanty writeup on a job board.

Then why come to places like this?

Yes, there are unscrupulous people out there, but who the hell cares?

Vicious cycle? Hardly. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice...

[kieranmullen]

Whats wrong with specs? From my point of view it cuts down on the crap you have to deal with. I dont care it they send me a gif and watermark the heck out of it.

Does the original post refer to someone taking the markup to another designer and having them do it? Why would anyone do that when the designer who did it has access to the original files, original ideas? Plus the hidden expense of having to take the time to find another designer to save some money.

Is it me or is this being blown out of proportion? Anyway this is just a spamvertisement for the site.

[bml]

I'm pretty sure Mr. Zeldman is famous enough not to need his site being spam promoted on SL :rolleyes:

but then again...you're pro spec work so it's clear you most likely never head of him.

a portofolio should be enough to select a designer.if you need a mockup to decide upon one of many bad designers...then the problem lies in a completely different area.

a good portofolio should speak for itself and make you have no doubts on who to choose.if it's not easy to choose, it can only mean 2 things: all the designers that bid on the project are exceptional or they're all substandard to mediocre.

[kieranmullen]

how do you know that person didnt copy someone elses work off of a website ?

trust is earned, not given

[pixelita]

Does the original post refer to someone taking the markup to another designer and having them do it?

The original post refers to creating deliverables before knowing whether or not one will be paid for one's efforts. Plain and simple.

Is it me or is this being blown out of proportion?

It's you. :-)