[thelist] Design vs. development

[Andy Warwick]

> >> My instructors at school say that the role of the freelancer is 
> dieing,
> >> and
> >> that working in a group in teams is the only way to go.

Tony

The two aren't mutally exclusive.

I've been freelancing for a couple of years, and can handle a good
proportion of the PHP and design stuff myself. 

I'm not the *best* designer I know, and I'm not the *best* coder I know,
but I can do 95% of a job's requirements to mine, and client's,
satisfaction.

For simpler jobs, the 'one-man-band' is still sufficient, IMHO.

For a £500 budget, the client isn't going to get many
'bells-and-whistles' anyway. Which is appropriate and fine for a
'brochure' on the web for a local landscape gardenr, for instance.

When something is outside my abilities, I know enough people--contacts
from when I *was* in an agency--to call on with the skills I lack.

About the only downside I've found as a freelancer is getting past a
client's perception of you: "if you don't have a team, you are somehow
'less able' to do the job." The trick is to get your offering into their
'comfort zone'.

> >>  Is
> >> there a good way for a freelance designer to find a freelance 
> developer to
> >> collaborate on projects and vice versa? How does it work?

Well I've used this list :)

I posted a few weeks back for a pointer to an off-the-shelf piece of
JavaScript that was *way* beyond me to write from scratch. A fellow list
member (yo, Marcus!), rather than point me in the right direction,
posted back with a piece custom written (at 4am!) that was kinda right,
but needed work. Totally unexpected and indicative of how freelancers
often support each other through lists like this. I never expected
anyone to write it, but--because the notion interested him--Marcus did.

So I wrote offlist, we struck a deal, and he's modified and written the
complete script for me, from a PDF brief. Payment via paypal. We've
never met in real life (we're in different countries and time-zones),
but we've collaborated on this project to mine and--so far--client's
satisfaction. (I hope, when I've paid the outstanding 50%, it will be to
his satisfaction too :)

Next time I need some Javascript that's beyond my abilities, he's in my
address book.

> I love to work. Unfortunately, I broke my neck in a mountain bike race 
> and
> can't work for someone else at a regular job--too many quadriplegic
> complications. 

You have my sympathy and admiration.

> It is impossible to learn everything 

In the early days you could, but that's no longer the case, that's true.
But it is still possible to learn enough about most things, to a) know
when something is out of your skillset and help is required, and b) to
judge whether someone will be a good supplier of that help.

> So, that's what I mean. I want to be self-employed, but be able to
> collaborate with different people when needed. Basically, I want what 
> you
> have described above. I just don't know how to get it.

Get a skillset and network to those people who need it.

As a quadriplegic, you already have "skills" that other's don't. (That
is not mean to be patronising or tasteless, but--given your obvious will
to deal with your situation--I'm sure you'll realise that.)

I don't know how much attention you want to draw to your condition in
your search for work, but you should consider that 'negative' as a real
'positive'. 

Given that the accessibility of websites is becoming important (and
required by law in many countries), you have both a requirement for
raising the issue, and a perspective on it, that many other designers
and developers don't.

I read your biog on the Rapid Motion site, and you certainly have the CV
and character to be a great spokesman for that aspect of our industry.
And with HTML, etc. skills to boot, you can talk to other freelancers in
their own 'language'.

I'm sure there are web design agencies pitching for work from big
clients where accessibility is an issue, and as a disabled user with a
knowledge of HTML, you are ideally placed to offer your views and skills
to such a team. Consultancy rates can be as good as, if not better, than
actually doing the coding.

I myself have just written a report for a local agency on the
accessibility of one of their client's site's, which I am due to present
this week. I'm in the odd position of telling a bunch of designers that
their beautifully done work is 'less than ideal' with regards to the
client's current needs. Last year the site was fine (and still is), but
now their client wants an accessible redesign--and they don't have the
skills in-house--so I've been asked to 'rubbish' last years work, so
they get the redesign for this year.

I may get involved with consultancy on the redesign, but they may just
be happy with a report on where the current design breaks. Meanwhile,
I've got paid for studying the current site and writing a document that
is--in effect--the brief for the next stage.

There is no reason why you can't learn enough about the concepts of what
is required for a site to work, without knowing the code to make it
happen. And bring together the ad hoc team, or be part of an ad hoc
team, that is required to do that work.

Get in touch with local agencies or other freelancers, and offer your
skills as an HTML coder with a unique perspective on a difficult and
timely issue in our industry.

The very best of luck.

P.S. Having seen your site and portfolio, If the requirement arises, I'd
certainly be happy to use you for coding and design; your portfolio
sites validate, which is *lot* more than many agencies around me, so
you're already ahead in the game there.

Cheers



-- 
Andy Warwick
Creed New Media, <http://www.creed.co.uk>