What Is Spec Work?
Spec work is a term coined for work that has value but is requested on a free basis. Not all spec work is bad, but we are talking about design 'competitions', where a business approaches multiple web designers and requests unpaid drafts from these. The usual outcome is that one web designer or is chosen, and the rest go unpaid. This can be applied to graphic designers too.
Why Is It Bad?
Spec work is bad for both the web designer and the client. To create good design requires that the designer understand the business. The designer must spend time looking into the companies values, ethics, goals, targeted audience and competitive situation. When spec work is asked for, web designers base their designs on an artificial summery of the organisation, creating a website that the business must fit to, rather then a website that fits the business. Again the same can be said for graphic designers.
Digital Arts Policy
In recent months many businesses from across Leicestershire have been asking for spec work. Due to the above, Digital Arts UK refuse to do any spec work, and make it their policy to reject such requests. Many design organisations encourage the same, and we ask that other designers look at the facts and make their own decision. More information can be found at the AIGA site, and at http://digitalartsuk.com/
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Digital Arts Uk are enthusiastic web and graphic design specialists based in Leicester, serving clients both local and international. For more information please see http://www.digitalartsuk.com
