What’s Wrong With “Spec Work”?
Published on 06-30-2009
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Let me explain a little about what Spec Work is. “Spec work” is any work done on a speculative basis, meaning “I will pay you if I like it”. This includes design contests where there is no guaranteed payment given, and any “sample work” for clients because they want to try before they buy.
Spec work and design contests devalue design and treat it as a cheap commodity, thus damaging the design business.
The Comparison
In other industry’s you don’t get to “try before you buy” or invest time and resources without a guarantee of payment. Let’s say you go to a massage therapist for a one hour massage. You tell the therapist, “If I like the massage, then I will pay you.” Well, she is going to tell you that it doesn’t work like that because she provides a service when a fee is agreed upon up-front. It would damage her business to be giving massages out for free.