Working for Free: How the Mainstreaming of Design is Affecting the Profession

Will crowdsourcing, spec work, and RFPs fundamentally change how designers do business? 

Many designers view crowdsourcing and spec work threatening to their business and the graphic design profession as a whole--and some design firms are even questioning the merit of their entire business model. Orit, President and CEO and Jason Cohen, Senior Vice President and Creative Director of the O Group, altered their business model and shared their knowledge and experience at this month's Spark roundtable discussion. Here are some of the highlights:

1. Spec work has a snowball effect--the more designers engage in spec work, the more clients will come to expect it, and the less likely it will be for designers to command reasonable fees.

2. Pro bono work is only effective where there is mutual respect and regard between designer and client.

3. A traditional proposal can be a dead end. How many times have you outlined a strategy only to find out later that your plan isn't at all in line with what the company needs? For effective design, prior analysis is key.

4. At the end of the day, business acumen and adaptability to changes in the marketplace are every bit as essential as stellar design skills are to your success.