A fair deal?

One of the most controversial subjects in the Web Design industry at the moment is that of design contests, or ‘spec work’. The basic premise is that a client opens their design brief to the public in the form of a contest, and budding designers submit entries to try and win a prize that is set at the beginning of the contest. The client will then eliminate some of the lesser entries from consideration, and give feedback (most of the time) on the concepts that are shortlisted as having potential. These are then refined by the designers in question until a winner is (usually) picked.

Websites such as 99designs, in my opinion, perpetuate a stereotype that a Web Designers job is to be given a creative outline from their superiors/clients, click around on Photoshop for twenty minutes and it’s done. This simply isn’t true. In my view, the Web Designer’s job is to create a solution that best fits with the overall brand identity of the company in question, through research and ideas generation. This industry is much more than just clicking and pushing buttons.

Prizes offered range from as little as $250 to $1000+

Although it’s easy to see why apprentice designers succumb to the lure of these contests, there is a darker side to spec work. There is no guarantee you will be paid for your efforts. There isn’t a guarantee that any of the entrants will. The $1000 or so prize money (It should be noted that $1000 is at the high end of the spectrum here, $200-800 is more common) might look enticing at first glance, but divide this figure by the number of contests you can go without winning, and it becomes a far less attractive deal.

I write as someone who has first-hand experience of these contests, having used them to gain experience of real-world design briefs a couple of years ago. At the time, I had no real experience in Web Design, and they provided me with an opportunity to develop a portfolio. What I quickly learned is that most clients who are only willing to pay $300 for a website, are most likely not serious about their business, or the service you provide, and as a result should be avoided. It devalues the industry, devalues your efforts, and it simply isn’t a fair deal.

Word Count: 385

My First Day

2^nd November 2009: I arise, albeit rather groggy-eyed, from the forty minutes of slumber I managed overnight. I don’t seem to sleep well at the best of times, but on days like today it’s a completely alien concept.

I gaze for a second at my alarm clock. It’s 6am, a time that, for the last few months at least, has been my bedtime of choice. I forget for a second what on earth I’m doing up when it seems even the birds outside my window seem quite apathetic; and then I remember I’m going in early to see Steve, my new Tutor.

Fast forward ninety minutes, and after my ninth cup of coffee, I hastily make my way to the train station (I’ve elected to skip breakfast today, as I don’t wish to see it again later). I walk past the site of my past employment, feeling somewhat content in the knowledge that today, I’ve woken up to do something I actually love, rather than listen to people complain for ten painstaking hours.

As I board the train, I’m greeted with the unmistakeable smell of public transport. The journey from Normanton to Wakefield only takes five minutes by rail, during which I notice all walks of people moving to the opposite side of the carriage, in an idle attempt to avoid the fare. I reason that even for well-dressed solicitor types, £2.10 per day must add up.

My mind, however, still finds time to wander. I am suddenly aware of the fact that I’m about to walk into a classroom of thirteen people as an outsider, which, not being the most socially adept person, is a somewhat frightening prospect. I reassure myself that it’ll be fine, as I step out into a rather dilapidated Kirkgate railway station. It’s a peculiar place that evokes images of the Industrial Era, and looks incredibly out of sorts in 2009.

I reach the Thornes Park Campus, and knock rather nervously on the door of MF18. Steve answers, and after a quick chat about the course, and a rather welcoming offer of anonymity (at least to begin with), I take my seat. The day begins, and although my anonymity is short-lived, I begin to feel more at home. We watch a documentary on Gutenberg, and the use of Futura on the moon is debated.

I think I’m going to like it here.

Futura in use on the Moon.

Word Count: 400

Facing my flaws

My first semester was many things; Challenging, exhausting, invigorating and creatively
stimulating. It was never boring, which I would venture is the reason I’m enjoying it
much more than my previous experience with Higher Education. Over the next few
weeks I rediscovered a few flaws in my educational ability that I intend to fix over the
coming months; namely my organisational skills (or lack of).
Maybe it was the timing of my joining of the course that made it difficult, but I found it
a struggle to keep on top of everything. I constantly seemed to have nine or ten million
things running through my head, and had trouble just focusing in on one at a time. I am
distracted far too easily, and my rhythm broken as a result. I have now taken some steps
to try and combat this, such as using organisational software, so hopefully I will see an
improvement in Semester 2.
For the Work Related Learning module, I had to go out and actively interview practicing
professionals, on the state of the web design industry. I had never done this before and
found it more difficult than I had expected. As the interviews had to be as short and
to-the-point, so it was important to cherry-pick the most relevant questions, and to
refine this information further for the report. As both of my own individual interviewee’s
worked for design departments within an organisation, rather than a design agency,
there were a lot of questions that I could not ask them, such as their experience of
dealing with clients. This was unfortunate and in hindsight I should have interviewed at
least one person from a Web Design specific company.

The experience of doing a presentation for the Interface Design module was quite
daunting. It isn’t something that I am naturally very good at, so I found it challenging.
It was difficult to fit as much relevant information as possible into a three-minute pitch,
and I don’t think I was as detailed as I could have been. I actually found myself spending
too much time dithering over finding someone to do the website about. In hindsight
I should have spent less time thinking about this and had a decision made within the
first couple of weeks. I could then have spent longer working on my actual design and
practicing my pitch.
The Typography module was one that I found very interesting, as it was an area I
had never really looked into before. For the first time I began to appreciate the art
of typography, and how different typefaces can convey a range of different intents,
meanings and subconscious associations. The typography tasks are my favourite part
of the course so far; I thoroughly enjoyed being able to work with a real design brief,
and the challenge of delivering the resulting design before the deadline. The exam was a
little more difficult, however. Looking back, I spent far too much time revising the visual

elements of the different typefaces, and not enough time studying the typographical terminology.
A big part of these modules was sketchbook work, and area where I don’t think I was
extensive enough. I tended to just draw between 4-8 thumbnails and then elaborate of
my favoured design further, at a bigger size. This is because I am used to just loading up
the appropriate software on screen and coming up with ideas digitally. I think, however,
I could come up with a far wider range of ideas if I concentrated more on producing ideas
on paper.

In all honesty, I feel that I have significantly improved on a personal level, thanks to
the first semester alone. Before I joined this course, I was under a lingering cloud of
uncertainty, self-doubt and isolation. Although I am still somewhat introverted around
people I do not know, I am gradually learning new social skills and beginning to feel
more confident about myself and my potential.
Word Count:662

Where I am going

My overall aim for the end of this course is to become an all-round, capable web designer. In order for this to happen, there are certain objectives that will need to be met, with regards to both education and my route to employment.

One of my educational targets is to learn design fundamentals, such as typography and grids. I have already begun to address this through the assignments we have begun working on through the course, and have seen an improvement in the quality of my work. However, there is still room for improvement, and I hope to do so through the regular use of these concepts in my educational and professional work. I also need to learn the technical skills that are required of a web designer, such as coding. Although I do have some experience with HTML and CSS, I still only have basic experience and I will be looking to improve when we cover this topic in the New Year.

As far as my route towards employment goes, I plan to gradually begin doing freelance work when possible during the second year of the course, in order to gain experience, and in the hope that by the end of the course I will have a decent portfolio that will assist in searching for work. I plan to eventually run my own freelance web design business (although I might spend a couple of years as an employee if necessary). I feel that in order for this to happen, one area in particular that I will need to improve on is my ability to pitch ideas, and general sales skills. In order to do this I am going to need to gain more confidence and the course should help to achieve this as pitching and presenting is something we will be required to do regularly. Obviously as a freelancer I am going to need some business acumen, but I am hoping that my previous studies in Business and Management will help with this.

In summary, my overall goals for the end of this course are as follows:

• Learn Web Design fundamentals, such as typography and grids.
• Learn the required technical skills, such as coding in HTML and CSS
• Begin to build a portfolio during the second year of the course, in order to assist in searching for work at the end of the course
• Improve in my ability to pitch and present ideas, as well as my overall sales skills

Word Count:415

Where I am now

I would describe my current ability in Web Design as average. While I have experience of creating graphics using Adobe Photoshop, and limited experience with HTML and CSS; my knowledge of design fundamentals, such as typography or grids, is poor. I am only now beginning to understand their importance within design. These are areas I am hoping to expand my knowledge of on this course, and at the end of the two years there should be a visible improvement in the standard of my work.

According to the Skillset Council, one of the main requirements of an employee in the Interactive Media/Web Design sector is a broad set of skills; the more abilities you possess, the more employable you will be. An employee will be required to use both logical and creative thinking, and personally I tend to be more right-brained than left, so logical thinking is something I need to work towards improving. In my previous experience (albeit somewhat limited), I have tended to become swept-away with the creative, ‘fun’ side of a project, and the rational aspects, such as coding and overall planning, have been left wanting.

In Andy Rutledge’s article, ‘the employable web designer’; he talks about the multitude of skills needed in order to maximise employability within the Web Design industry. One of these in particular that I struggle with is public speaking; as although I have done presentations before, I find that when I am nervous I tend to fidget or rub my hands together, which when speaking publically does not reflect well on the overall presentation. This is obviously something I need to change, as pitching ideas and face-to-face communication will be critical to any future I have in the industry.

I completed a learning style questionnaire by Honey and Mumford. On completion, my style of learning was described as an ‘activist’, which was roughly what I expected before taking the quiz. People with this style are said to prefer taking ‘direct action’. They are said to be ‘enthusiastic and to welcome new challenges. They are not interested in the past or putting things into a broader context. They are primarily interested in the here and now. They like to have a go, try things out and participate. They like to be the centre of attention’. I can relate to most of these traits, with the exception of being the centre of attention; in actual fact I am an introvert, and usually find social situations very difficult. This is something that has held me back previously, but that I am finding much easier on this course. Although I am still fairly quiet, I think that my confidence has improved a little; mainly because people here have been far more welcoming than I had experienced previously.

I also scored highly in the ‘Reflector’ style, which was something of a surprise. People of this style are described as preferring to ‘think about things in detail before taking action’. This isn’t something I currently do, and something I really need to start doing, as I tend to be quite impulsive. One description I did identify with, however; was ‘they are good listeners and prefer to adopt a low profile’. I usually find that in group discussions I tend to take a back-seat and just listen to others views, without putting my own forward. Although I have a way to go with this, I feel I am a little better at speaking in groups since joining the course.

As far as my learning ability goes, I feel that one area in particular where I need to improve is planning, specifically managing my time correctly. Unfortunately I usually end up doing things at the last-minute, due to a lack of prior planning and organisation.  I could improve in this area using something like a Gantt chart, or a Critical Path Analysis, showing when my assignments are due and giving me the ability to plan my study time in association with other aspects of my life. Obviously, that will only help so much, and I will need to develop a more disciplined outlook in general.

Word Count: 685

Where I have come from

My interest in Web Design began when I was 15 years old. One of my lifelong passions is Motor Racing, and back then, I had ambitions of a future in the sport. I had come to realise, through talking to people within the industry, of the difficulties that up and coming drivers faced when it came to finding funding, in order to actually go racing.

I had the idea of creating a website which would connect potential sponsors with drivers. It would be a community-based site, using the Joomla Content Management system. I wanted the website to look professional; however, as I didn’t have much in the way of a budget at the time, I began to look into the possibility of designing the website myself. I began reading tutorials on design on the internet and I taught myself (basic) HTML and CSS. Although the end product wasn’t brilliant, it certainly sparked my interest in the subject. The project faded out; however I carried on practising Web Design in my spare time.

In 2007, I went on a week’s work experience at Wakefield and District Housing. During this time I worked with the IT Department, and was asked to create a new design for the WDH website. I carried on doing Work Experience there on my day off from College, until I eventually left in May 2008. The experience was extremely valuable; it allowed me to get feedback on my designs from professionals within the industry.

In 2008 I went into employment at LIDL. Although my interest in Web Design remained, I had much less time to study the subject. I did, however, create a website for an up and coming Karter named Sam Moffat, using the WordPress blogging system. It was a frustrating process at times as my coding skills were average to say the least; however, eventually the website went live. It was a proud moment for me as I appreciated for the first time in a while, the satisfaction of seeing a project through from conception to realisation.

During this time I also entered some of the design contests on Sitepoint/99designs, as a way of gaining experience in my spare time. Although I gained valuable experience of working with a real design brief, I found that the clients that perpetuated these contests often offered very little feedback on submitted designs.

In 2009 I decided to go into Higher Education. I applied in January for a HND Consumer Marketing course at Leeds Met. After the first few weeks on the course, however, I realised it was not something I wanted to do for three years of my life. I decided to look into alternatives and stumbled across the FdA Web Design course at Wakefield College; and enquired about the possibility of transferring to the course. I am hoping the course will give me a more fundamental understanding of the workings of design, and allow me to pursue a career in Web Design and Brand Identity.

Word Count: 497