PSA Web Design Posters

PSA, or Public Service Announcement, is something us 80s (and even 90s) kids grew up with. That “The More You Know” Meme came from NBC’s Public Service Announcements, which were short messages emphasizing the value of education and the importance of reading for teenagers.

In that same fashion, awhile back I’d created some PSAs regarding the work myself and many other web designers do. This was long before AI entered the arena, but it still holds true for when you work with another human whose job is to create.

Creating designs (whether it be for the web or print) requires talent, expertise and even an understanding of marketing to really be effective. I still see many people asking designers for reduced rates or even free work, sometimes called ‘spec’ work–work done for free on the speculation that if the client likes it, they’ll hire the designer for real. You can read another whole post on spec work and how it devalues designers here.

AI Enters the Mix

We’re not talking about AI here, which has become the new hot thing. There’s something to be said about working with another human and the emotion and intelligence that comes with that.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not totally against AI. I’m pro-AI when using it in certain ways as a tool. I think it can be used to spur ideas when you’re stuck, or make suggestions. It can be used to formulate ideas, organize data, and many other things that don’t involve creative work. I am against is AI “art” and “design”. It’s still very shady territory to me where an AI gets its source material.

Design vs. Other Industries

AI aside, I think there has always been some misunderstanding about what exactly us web designers DO. And this leads to clients/potential clients asking things that they wouldn’t ask of other professions.

Years ago I made the graphics below as a fun way to illustrate that and I still think they hold up today. So feel free to share these PSA (“Public Service Announcement”) images if you’re like me and want to send the message that web design still requires human skill and talent.