The AIGA board of directors, in consultation with a number of interested members, recently reviewed AIGA's long-standing policy against spec work in the context of changing dynamics in the marketplace.
AIGA acknowledges that spec work-speculative work done prior to engagement with a client and in anticipation of being paid if selected-has long been practiced, continues to occur and may indeed be increasing, particularly as the Internet affects solicitation, bidding, marketing and distribution practices.
AIGA, the professional association for design, maintains that speculative 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.
Designer and client should engage as they see fit, although designers should knowingly assume responsibility for the risks involved in spec work if they choose that course.
"The types of unpaid and speculative work that are solicited, offered and distributed today are very different than they were even a few years ago, as a result of a design market facilitated by the internet," said Richard Grefe, AIGA executive director.
"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."