No topic generates more debate within the design sector than 'spec work', also known as 'free pitching'. Overlay this with crowdsourcing and co-creation as trends, open-sourcing design process as a means to empower social entrepreneurship, the desire for clients - particularly the public sector - to be transparent and a global economy that is only slowly showing signs of finding equilibrium or a 'new normal' and you have a climate where the policies and best practices for design procurement advocated by professional design organisations are under scrutiny.

The 'who', the 'what' and the 'how' of design are open to question as design literacy increases and design thinking is embraced by more stakeholders as a valued process. Should only certified designers be allowed to respond to requests for proposals issued by government? In the academic environment, who owns the intellectual property created by students? How do you reconcile compensation when bidders for the same project come from two vastly different economies? What defines appropriate use of 'stock' content purchased online? Can a design contest propose solutions to a brief? Must design solutions be proposed by only trained designers?

Current Icograda definitions and policy

Icograda defines 'speculative practices' as communication design work (including documented consultation), created by professional communication designers and organisations, provided for free or at nominal fee, often in competition with peers and often as a means to solicit new business.

Speculative competition is understood within the professional design community to be a poor means of developing design solutions. The arguments are many: hours invested by designers in creating contest entries, time committed by organisers in reviewing submissions, lack of meaningful dialogue between designer and client, a process that often requires blanket assignment of intellectual property rights as a condition of entry and the reality that the resulting work is rarely actually used as the final solution.

Icograda's Procurement Guidelines are a resource for designers and clients outlining Member-endorsed processes for soliciting work from professional communication designers. The Secretariat supports Members' advocacy of design buying practices that respect the economic value of the design process and fair consideration of the intellectual property created by designers. The recommended approach is to request samples of work from previous assignments that are similar in nature to the project and, if initial concept work is necessary to make a final selection, full fees should be paid to each designer asked for submissions.

These principles are also found in Icograda's Model Code of Professional Conduct, which outlines the ethical standards endorsed by our Members. The Code of Conduct and Procurement Guidelines are both voluntary and recognise that in some countries and regions organisations may not state that designers should not work for free. 

Icograda's best practice recommendations are intended to be localised to specific markets. Our Members are autonomous organisations and their national policies may take more specific views on certain elements.

Are all competitions speculative?

So where do contests fit in this model? Within Icograda's Competition Guidelines, competitions can be endorsed by Icograda when they:

• provide equal recognition of all participants;
• protect the intellectual property rights of participants;
• have a qualified jury that includes a majority of professional designers;
• do not require participants to produce original designs, unless a competition has a specific theme.

Most often, such contests are a) limited to specific theme and audience; and b) have a social design objective that advances Icograda's mission, vision and values. Icograda does not endorse contests where the outcome is for a for-profit institution or corporation and the process replaces what would otherwise be a request for contracted design services.

Continuous review and consultation

Icograda policy is built from the ground up and lives in the support of our Members. Icograda's Competition Guidelines were last reviewed and ratified by the General Assembly 22 in La Habana, Cuba (2007).  Between 2007 and 2010, both thought leadership and technology have continued to reshape our professional practice.

At the upcoming Design Currency: Icograda Design Week in Vancouver, there will be a panel session on global design procurement to explore all aspects of this topic. In parallel, the Executive Board will be reviewing existing policy as an agenda item when it meets in Vancouver.

We are seeking input from our stakeholders to inform the discussion and policy review. We want to hear from all sides of the debate. Post your comments and the Secretariat will collate them for both the event programming committee and brief to the Executive Board.

If you would like to submit a detailed document, please send it to the by 26 Mar 2010.

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About Brenda Sanderson As Icograda's Managing Director, Brenda oversees Icograda's programming and activities, builds strategic partnerships that further Icograda's objectives and works closely with the Executive Board in the development of Icograda's policies and best practices.