Ethics in the Design Field

http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2011/02/ethics-in-the-design-field/

The following are said to be 'some of the most prominent ethical considerations designers deal with', written by Cameron Chapman

Spec Work - > Spec work is any kind of work whether it's a final piece or initial concept that is done without the client committing to pay a fee

- 'New designers will often be willing to work on spec to build their portfolios' - this seems like a valued positive towards completing spec work. However, I would not agree with doing this work as more likely than not, the client would be willing to pay for the same quality of work. I also do not agree with working for free as this is decreasing your own personal values.

- A further positive of doing spec work is that the designer can sometimes engage with more 'prominent clients by promising the client that they'll only pay if they like the design'. - Completing this type of work would demonstrate poor practise. The client should be involved throughout the design process to ensure that the work you are completing is appropriate and liked by the client. An alternative is that regular meetings with the client should keep the project on track and if any changes are needed, then they can be made before the final design is presented. 

- 'Companies requesting spec work often feel like they’ll get better designs, since they’ll have a variety of designs to choose from. They feel that by making it a competition, they’ll somehow get better work.' - This is a valid comment made by Webdesigner Depot as there are some organised competitions where the designer will see no feedback/praise/reward for submitting their design or for winning the competition. It is important for an individual to identify whether this is something that they agree with and if not, to explore the field further and find something that is appropriate to their own personal ethics.

The negatives for designers & industry:

-  Time you spend on a spec project could be better spent on paid work, or on marketing yourself to get paid work

- You’re opening yourself up to infringement. A company might go with a different designer, but then incorporate parts of your work, without paying you


Alternatives to spec work:

- Get in touch with local charities or community groups and see about doing some pro-bono work for them 

- Create projects for fake clients, or create some stock designs to sell. This is a great way to add to your portfolio without providing work for free, and if you sell stock designs, you might even be able to earn some money on the side - This is something that I am already doing as part of a creative trio. As well as being able to practise book binding and traditional printing skills, it also showcases each of us as designers and demonstrates what type of work we are interested in doing


Clients:

- Ensure that you complete your side of 'the deal'

- Complete the work in the arranged timeframe

- If the above are not possible, then apologise and offer to do what it takes to complete the brief


Charging:

- 'If you charge a set hourly rate based on the time you actually work on a project, then charging for more hours than you actually spent on a project would almost certainly be unethical.'

- 'if you charge by the project or based on market factors, then you’re not agreeing to charge based on the time you spent.' 

- Each of these quotes demonstrate the different ways in which a designer can charge a client. Whether it be project or individually dependant, it is important to ensure that the payment is agreed between both client and designer as well as the rate valuing the quality of work


Full Disclosure of Terms:

- 'It’s important that you disclose all the terms of your work with your clients. This means everything from payments and when they might incur extra charges, to who owns the rights to the work you create.'

- 'a document that both you and your client sign that spells out what the work is to be performed and what both sides expect.'

- ' let your clients know if any part of their design includes stock artwork, and what the licensing terms are. ' - There are a number of reasons why using stock artwork is appropriate and sometimes needed when completing a brief. However, as an individual, I always ensure that time is made to produce my own photography/artwork so that there are no stock images/artwork used. This makes the outcome fully my own and therefore demonstrates my abilities in a range of different medias. 



Copying

- Stealing the designs of others is always unethical. If your client or boss doesn’t understand this, it’s time to find a new job or a new client.

- From reading the article, this ethical issue could be said to be a lot higher in young proffessionals. This is due to some clients taking advantage of an individuals ability and some clients may think that due to having lesser experience, the designer is unwilling to stand out against copying requests

- What to do if the client requests a design that is reminiscent of another: 'Tell them why it’s unethical and that you can’t do it, but that you’ll create something that’s better, because it will be specifically tailored to their business.' 


Communication

- Communication is essential in producing a valued/appropriate/positive piece of design for a client. If the designer knows that the client requires then there is a lower change of ethical issues being raised