“Spec” Work and the Devaluation of Design

Years ago, professional designers came to realize how doing speculation work (aka “spec” work) took away from the value and compromised the quality of the work.

What is it exactly?

Wikipedia defines it as:

Speculative work, also known as spec work, is any kind of creative work that has been completed or submitted by volunteer designers to prospective clients, under the circumstances that a fair or reasonable fee has not been agreed upon in writing. Designers are required to invest time and resources to contest with each other to win a contract.

It was common practice, especially in the fields of advertising and architecture where firms would sink vast resources into presenting designs to prospective clients in order to try to win a project. It evolved to include other creative industries as well, including web design. It led to a percentage of companies expecting to essentially get free work up front on the premise that, if they like it, they may hire you. The may also just steal your design … which also happened.

The downsides of spec work…

For the designer, the biggest downside is that you are doing work when you’re under no contract to do so and will not be paid for that work. There are instances where companies have used the work without hiring or paying the designer.

For companies, without giving a designer full specifications and details and hiring them can lead to lackluster results. You may be getting design work that is AI generated, or where copyright or trademark infringement may be a real possibility.

There have also been numerous examples now of companies facing public backlash after being exposed for taking a designer’s work done on speculation and using it. A furniture company experienced enough public criticism that it had to backtrack and issue an apology. While some companies do get away with this, this highlights an example where a company assumes some risk in the process of spec work.

What’s better than spec? Collaboration.

For print and web design, the best work can be obtained through collaboration and thoroughly exploring a client’s needs and objectives. This simply can not be accomplished though an RPF that asks for a general concept. For companies looking to take this route, I would highly recommend purchasing a pre-made template, but remember, you get what you pay for. For professional design, working with a single designer or company to achieve a customized, unique, branded appearance is a far superior approach. A professional designer should be able to produce a Creative Brief, in lieu of concept designs, that explains in detail how an end result will be achieved. Also, it is customary (and encouraged) to request samples of previous projects by the designer to get a feel for their work.

Professional standards …

Design standards such as those set forth by the American Institute of Graphic Arts (http://www.aiga.org), should be followed to not only uphold the integrity of the field of design, but also to educate the potential client as to why “spec” work is detrimental. When a potential client asks for original work to be produced for free and without a contract, it demonstrates not only a lack of understanding, but also a lack of respect (often times, without them being aware of it). A great analogy would be, would you ask three plumbers to fix a problem in your house and say you’ll actually pay the one whose work you liked the best? A professional designer is highly trained and skilled in their field, and should be paid accordingly for any actual design work provided. Through a well written creative brief and a strong portfolio, a potential client should have enough information to choose the right candidate for the job.

*The original article was posted in 2007 and updated in May of 2019.