Comments on: Could an Open-Source Portfolio Search Engine Help Designers Against Spec-Work? http://www.buzzmaven.com/2009/12/spec-work-debate.html The Search Marketing Consultancy of Scott Clark Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:01:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Scott Clark http://www.buzzmaven.com/2009/12/spec-work-debate.html/comment-page-1#comment-528 Scott Clark Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:36:54 +0000 http://www.buzzmaven.com/?p=4063#comment-528 Yes, I think this only works for displaying results that can be displayed in a web portfolio - for those clients who want to "flip through" a large portfolio the way they can on these spec sites. Your points are well taken that this is a very simple idea to solve only one small problem - early searches - and does not even begin to explore the nuance of design, client relationships, etc that would be "part 2" of the search. Thanks for your comments! Yes, I think this only works for displaying results that can be displayed in a web portfolio – for those clients who want to “flip through” a large portfolio the way they can on these spec sites.

Your points are well taken that this is a very simple idea to solve only one small problem – early searches – and does not even begin to explore the nuance of design, client relationships, etc that would be “part 2″ of the search.

Thanks for your comments!

]]> By: Hilary Baumann http://www.buzzmaven.com/2009/12/spec-work-debate.html/comment-page-1#comment-527 Hilary Baumann Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:30:58 +0000 http://www.buzzmaven.com/?p=4063#comment-527 I think in concept it's a good idea but I don't know how feasible it is. Nothing is impossible but how do you visually represent a designer's typical process (if they even have one), or if they met the goals of the client? It gets more complex when you move beyond logos and into the realm of websites, cms, crm, or marketing.There are so many variables to design, how do you standardize customization? Who would come up with how it worked and who would pay for it? Then again I think you've missed a couple of reasons people are using sites like Crowdspring and 99designs. The primary one being that the client has complete control of everything from cost to deadline. What if they aren't even sure what style they are looking for? What if they find a designer they like but that person is booked solid through their deadline? Or there are people who are simply trying to get as much as possible for cheap or free and it's a question of their ethics on projects where no winning design is chosen. Don't get me wrong, I'm completely against spec work. This is just a really really complex topic. I'll probably think up a dozen other points to this topic as I'm falling asleep tonight. :) I think in concept it’s a good idea but I don’t know how feasible it is. Nothing is impossible but how do you visually represent a designer’s typical process (if they even have one), or if they met the goals of the client? It gets more complex when you move beyond logos and into the realm of websites, cms, crm, or marketing.There are so many variables to design, how do you standardize customization? Who would come up with how it worked and who would pay for it?

Then again I think you’ve missed a couple of reasons people are using sites like Crowdspring and 99designs. The primary one being that the client has complete control of everything from cost to deadline. What if they aren’t even sure what style they are looking for? What if they find a designer they like but that person is booked solid through their deadline? Or there are people who are simply trying to get as much as possible for cheap or free and it’s a question of their ethics on projects where no winning design is chosen.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m completely against spec work. This is just a really really complex topic. I’ll probably think up a dozen other points to this topic as I’m falling asleep tonight. :)

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