Spec No!

from unbeige
"In a world of crunched corporate budgets and proliferating online open calls, AIGA this week affirmed its longstanding policy against speculative work—work done prior to engagement with a client and in anticipation of being paid if selected. After reviewing the policy in the context of the changing marketplace, the AIGA board of directors maintains that spec work "can compromise the benefits of effective design for both clients and designers—and that a designer fully engaged in a client's business challenges is necessary to an effective solution." The professional association for design says that it recognizes that the decision to engage in spec work is up to individual designers. At the same time, AIGA is committed to making designers aware of the associated risks. "By providing educational information on what it means to do work without the promise of compensation, and the resulting risks for both the client and the designer, we hope to empower every designer to make an informed and intelligent decision on an individual basis," said AIGA executive director Richard Grefé in a statement issued this week. Read on for AIGA's full, updated position on spec work."