Comments on: How To Say No To Spec Work Requests http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/how-to-say-no-to-spec-work-requests/ This is the blog of freelance web designer Grace Smith, with thoughts on design, technology and social media. Along with interesting links and articles, freshly served from Northern Ireland. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:09:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Peter Simcoe http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/how-to-say-no-to-spec-work-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-17867 Peter Simcoe Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:26:18 +0000 http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/?p=4901#comment-17867 Hi Grace, Great to see this article here. It does require some thought in how to respond to these requests and your advice seems good. I've also written an article about speculative work which touches on some of the same ideas.....I always get concerned about the terribly precious way designers can portray themselves and so aim to quietly avoid speculative work rather than make a big point of it. I ve been burned several times by spec work back in the day so I learned the hard way and I always ensure that I treat people I work with in the same way I expect to be treated. You can see my article on this subject at: http://www.design-design.co.uk/speculative-design-and-you/ Would you like to add that to your list? I would be quite keen to link to your article from my site and you can write a comment on it if you want or I ll add it for you. thanks, Pete Hi Grace,

Great to see this article here. It does require some thought in how to respond to these requests and your advice seems good. I’ve also written an article about speculative work which touches on some of the same ideas…..I always get concerned about the terribly precious way designers can portray themselves and so aim to quietly avoid speculative work rather than make a big point of it. I ve been burned several times by spec work back in the day so I learned the hard way and I always ensure that I treat people I work with in the same way I expect to be treated.

You can see my article on this subject at:
http://www.design-design.co.uk/speculative-design-and-you/

Would you like to add that to your list? I would be quite keen to link to your article from my site and you can write a comment on it if you want or I ll add it for you.

thanks, Pete

]]> By: Michael Byers http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/how-to-say-no-to-spec-work-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-17865 Michael Byers Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:05:27 +0000 http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/?p=4901#comment-17865 Not sure if you've seen this but it's a great protest to people wanting free work. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj5IV23g-fE Not sure if you’ve seen this but it’s a great protest to people wanting free work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj5IV23g-fE

]]> By: Eric Leitzel http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/how-to-say-no-to-spec-work-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-17863 Eric Leitzel Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:13:39 +0000 http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/?p=4901#comment-17863 Great article. I appreciate the standards you set for yourself. I've had to develop similar standards. Usually the client just needs a little education, and once they understand your position they change their approach, but not always. Great article. I appreciate the standards you set for yourself. I’ve had to develop similar standards. Usually the client just needs a little education, and once they understand your position they change their approach, but not always.

]]> By: Happy Blogging: Suggestions for Your Design Blogroll | PixieGirl Blog http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/how-to-say-no-to-spec-work-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-14543 Happy Blogging: Suggestions for Your Design Blogroll | PixieGirl Blog Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:03:40 +0000 http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/?p=4901#comment-14543 [...] How To Say No To Spec Work Requests [...] [...] How To Say No To Spec Work Requests [...]

]]> By: Laurent JOUVIN http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/how-to-say-no-to-spec-work-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-13596 Laurent JOUVIN Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:42:59 +0000 http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/?p=4901#comment-13596 I like that Teri! Very funny. I might have to use your line with the next person that asks me to spec a job. I like that Teri! Very funny. I might have to use your line with the next person that asks me to spec a job.

]]> By: Teri Alexis http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/how-to-say-no-to-spec-work-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-13578 Teri Alexis Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:44:46 +0000 http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/?p=4901#comment-13578 Gads! I get tons of requests such as you mention. I always politely decline. I figure if I don't value my work no one else will. Would someone ask a construction contractor to just build a few walls for free so they can see what kind of work they'll be getting? Of course not! Gads! I get tons of requests such as you mention. I always politely decline. I figure if I don’t value my work no one else will. Would someone ask a construction contractor to just build a few walls for free so they can see what kind of work they’ll be getting? Of course not!

]]> By: How To Say No To Spec Work Requests | Hart Voice Overs http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/how-to-say-no-to-spec-work-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-13545 How To Say No To Spec Work Requests | Hart Voice Overs Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:18:31 +0000 http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/?p=4901#comment-13545 [...] month Grace Smith,  owner of Postscript5 Web Design in Ireland, posted How To Say No To Spec Work Requests on her site gracesmith.co.uk.  While her specialty is web design the post is relevant to anyone [...] [...] month Grace Smith,  owner of Postscript5 Web Design in Ireland, posted How To Say No To Spec Work Requests on her site gracesmith.co.uk.  While her specialty is web design the post is relevant to anyone [...]

]]> By: Brian Hart http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/how-to-say-no-to-spec-work-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-13524 Brian Hart Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:42:47 +0000 http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/?p=4901#comment-13524 Thank you very much for the great read. I work with audio but I suppose design work is design work regardless of the medium and spec work can be a real problem in my industry too. And especially thank you for the letter template, that's very helpful. Thank you very much for the great read. I work with audio but I suppose design work is design work regardless of the medium and spec work can be a real problem in my industry too.

And especially thank you for the letter template, that’s very helpful.

]]> By: Laurent JOUVIN http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/how-to-say-no-to-spec-work-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-12994 Laurent JOUVIN Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:30:31 +0000 http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/?p=4901#comment-12994 Spec work is becoming a constant practice. In some cases, it is also a mandatory step, especially in larger companies. Spec work sucks! but nowadays, it is hard (perhaps foolish) to turn away any kind of work. The only saving grace is that some companies will put aside a limited budget for spec work. What ever it is, it's better than free! Thank you for sharing your letter; I'm sure it'll become handy very soon. Spec work is becoming a constant practice. In some cases, it is also a mandatory step, especially in larger companies. Spec work sucks! but nowadays, it is hard (perhaps foolish) to turn away any kind of work. The only saving grace is that some companies will put aside a limited budget for spec work. What ever it is, it’s better than free!
Thank you for sharing your letter; I’m sure it’ll become handy very soon.

]]> By: Greg http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/how-to-say-no-to-spec-work-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-12541 Greg Sun, 24 Jan 2010 11:13:49 +0000 http://www.gracesmith.co.uk/?p=4901#comment-12541 Once upon a day for a permanent graphic design position, we asked interviewees to bring what amounted to what you describe. Only, in at least an attempt to acknowledge that their time is valuable, we focused on using it as a discussion piece. Basically, the option was open to instead of creating mockups, whiteboard an approach to a redesign as part of the interviewing process. We were more interested in how they planned to tackle technical challenges than if they could whip together something fancy in photoshop in only a few days. Now I'm wondering if that was the right approach. Since the conversation was more important, perhaps giving them a few days of prep time with the 'subject of conversation' would have been better. Reason being: 4 out of 5 candidates made mockups, some of them actually pretty good and with obvious work put into them. We felt badly that we could only hire one person. I guess the main point I'm getting at is... it's a bit unclear what line to draw when getting a candidate for a salaried full-time position to do similar work as part of an interview process. I know that many government positions, for example, require some fairly involved interview processes which amount to "homework" of hours or even days in length. Still, if the conversation was the important part (and it was) I suspect we should have left it at that. Greg Once upon a day for a permanent graphic design position, we asked interviewees to bring what amounted to what you describe. Only, in at least an attempt to acknowledge that their time is valuable, we focused on using it as a discussion piece.

Basically, the option was open to instead of creating mockups, whiteboard an approach to a redesign as part of the interviewing process. We were more interested in how they planned to tackle technical challenges than if they could whip together something fancy in photoshop in only a few days.

Now I’m wondering if that was the right approach.

Since the conversation was more important, perhaps giving them a few days of prep time with the ‘subject of conversation’ would have been better. Reason being: 4 out of 5 candidates made mockups, some of them actually pretty good and with obvious work put into them. We felt badly that we could only hire one person.

I guess the main point I’m getting at is… it’s a bit unclear what line to draw when getting a candidate for a salaried full-time position to do similar work as part of an interview process. I know that many government positions, for example, require some fairly involved interview processes which amount to “homework” of hours or even days in length.

Still, if the conversation was the important part (and it was) I suspect we should have left it at that.

Greg

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