Regulars to SI: D&G have seen the pattern repeated over the months and years that there are very fine shades of propriety that polarize threads asking for help, and sometimes even when those threads do not cross over into spec/billable work, they can still end in thread disaster (aka one-way ticket to Wasteland)... more importantly, they can make us all look bad, like snarky, bitter, and unhelpful people with no compassion or willingness to help.
So, I propose that we focus on making a FAQ or sticky about these issues.
- We have to be able to answer questions for laymen, who may or may not know much about how the graphic design industry works, and who may be asking for this help or work, students interested in graphic design who are trying to learn and grow (and, yes, sometimes need boundaries defined), as well as professionals who add to our hive and can be both amazingly helpful and kind (and understandably can be quite personally invested in these issues).
- We need to concisely and clearly set up guideline definitions to what is work, and what is help, because work implies "billable," and if agreements are not made for fair and industry-ethical billing before the work is performed, it is therefore speculative.
- Examples of acceptable and unacceptable threads, and disasters (including the hilarious ones, like the Holy Church Of God!) might be used to illustrate DOs and DON'Ts.
- Along with providing links to NO!SPEC, and their many helpful resources, we should also show the converse school of thought where designers work, and are then bid on, so that we are at least being fair and showing potential clients, hobbyists, and professional designers that there are choices and pros/cons to each choice.
- Acceptable practices for asking for billable, non-speculative work (if that is acceptable for this forum/terms of service--I'm not even 100% sure), as well as for offering billable work
I could try to (slowly) compile this resource myself, but if everyone who is usually active in these types of threads would post FAQs to be answered (and the answers would be nice!), as well as links to good/bad example threads, or other website resources, that would make it a lot faster and a much better community effort.
So, I propose that we focus on making a FAQ or sticky about these issues.
- We have to be able to answer questions for laymen, who may or may not know much about how the graphic design industry works, and who may be asking for this help or work, students interested in graphic design who are trying to learn and grow (and, yes, sometimes need boundaries defined), as well as professionals who add to our hive and can be both amazingly helpful and kind (and understandably can be quite personally invested in these issues).
- We need to concisely and clearly set up guideline definitions to what is work, and what is help, because work implies "billable," and if agreements are not made for fair and industry-ethical billing before the work is performed, it is therefore speculative.
- Examples of acceptable and unacceptable threads, and disasters (including the hilarious ones, like the Holy Church Of God!) might be used to illustrate DOs and DON'Ts.
- Along with providing links to NO!SPEC, and their many helpful resources, we should also show the converse school of thought where designers work, and are then bid on, so that we are at least being fair and showing potential clients, hobbyists, and professional designers that there are choices and pros/cons to each choice.
- Acceptable practices for asking for billable, non-speculative work (if that is acceptable for this forum/terms of service--I'm not even 100% sure), as well as for offering billable work
I could try to (slowly) compile this resource myself, but if everyone who is usually active in these types of threads would post FAQs to be answered (and the answers would be nice!), as well as links to good/bad example threads, or other website resources, that would make it a lot faster and a much better community effort.
