Designers conundrum

[dalifan]

Hi all, this is my first time I have felt the need to reach out to the community on something like this. I feel that I probably should have reached out sooner and that this is something that everyone comes up against at one point or another in their career so why not have a scenario and then discuss with others how each person would handle the situation.

I have been wrestling with this conundrum for a while now. I have been doing volunteer work for a non-profit organization for the past eight years.

In that time I have taken their dated website and brought it to a more aesthetically pleasing and responsive format, written code to interface with a mySQL database to present an event calendar on the website coupled with creating their logo and brand as well as creating their flyers and newsletter.

There has however, always been a struggle for who does what it seems with one volunteer retired individual who I believe has never been happy with the organizations decision to have me do this work and has gone out of her way to undermine everything that I have done.

The problem is that the president of the organization is trying to stay neutral and this means that this year, their annual fundraiser flyer was done by this other person and the results are that of something from Microsoft Word including clipart, along with the newsletter that is again made in Microsoft Word with Times New Roman font in black on a tan background. The company logo is the wrong color, the resolution is low and not high res at all. Needless to say it is awful and does not match the brand or the website yet I am being asked to put it up on the website in full and remove the past newsletters that I have created.

I am torn because I have devoted so much of my time to this organization and I feel that frankly I am being totally taken advantage of and shown no respect at all.

I would like to know how some other graphic/web design/developers would handle this situation. I myself would like to refuse to put any of it up on the website for reasons that the quality of work grossly undermines the brand of the organization, but I feel that they either do not "get it" or simply do not care.

I would love to get some feedback because I feel that this is something I could learn to grow from as a designer/developer and that is how to present discuss issues like this with unreasonable people who do not understand or do not see the big deal.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Levi]

Simple viewpoint...
Basically if the client wants to use someone else and gets a MS word flier they'll soon come back when they realise how crap it is, if they don't come back then you're better off giving your time to someone else, even better if they actually pay you for you time.

I also have a very simple rule with my business, I don't care if you're my friend or even my family, I'll be giving you an invoice (I might give a discount depending on how close I am to them) if you want me to work for you...I have to pay bills at the end of the day and anyone else would charge them.

In regards to uploading to the site, technically you took on the job (unpaid) to maintain the site and if the client wants it up you basically have to put it up. It doesn't stop you airing your concerns over the quality of the work etc though and if you can offer up fair and reasonable reasons, don't go all emotionally attached to work approach, why they shouldn't use it the 'neutral' president of the organisation should hopefully see where you're coming from. Just don't expect them to change their mind.

 

[dalifan]

Hi Levi,

Thanks for the feedback and insight. I suppose that I was a bit naive thinking that the people I have been working with over the years were appreciative of my efforts despite not asking to be compensated as it is a volunteer organization. I believe the key piece is to not get emotionally attached to work and I do often find myself trying to do such a great job I start loosing focus on the project and it becomes a personal and emotional investment. I'm not mad that they opted to have someone else do the work, it's that the work devalues the organization, the look, inconsistent font sizing, Every Single Letter Is Capitalized, things like that, not to mention horrid color schemes. But I took your advice, professionally stated my concerns, asked if they continued to value the quality and caliber of work I was producing for them and left the ball in their court, where the president will most likely fumble the ball and then I'll know full well that it's most likely internal politics.

 

[Paul Murray]

I very rarely offer my services for free, simply because without a financial investment in my time a lot of these clients outright take the piss. Because you're not charging for your skills time and experience, they don't value what you're offering and you often get people just brushing aside your efforts without realising what you've done for them. This other volunteer perhaps would like to be more involved, I don't know their situation fully. Non-profits often have some real issues with politics simply because you get volunteers who have a sense of entitlement because they've "put in X amount of effort" or "done Y things for this organisation" or "been here for Z number of years".

If it were me in this situation though I'd tell them straight that either they let me do what they brought me onboard to do, or I'm gone. That's not being egotistical or having a strop, it's about your skills and time being undermined and unappreciated. At the end of the day, you're not getting much out of it aside from a sense of well-being, and it sounds like even that is questionable.

 

[scotty]

I'm a total sucker and I do a fair amount of work for free but then I'm a firm believer in karma.

I wish sometimes I was Like @Levi but I have a soul and I don't have a cold, black heart like he does.

That being said, there's a strange psychosis that take over people when you work for free.
They lose ALL value in what you do, almost as if they're doing YOU the favour.
I've seen it loads of times sadly.

If someone was to fit me a new bathroom for free I'd be doing cart wheels.

If you're not happy with it then don't do it.
It's your way or the highway.

Being associated with poor quality work will do you no favours.

 

[Levi]

I wish sometimes I was Like @Levi but I have a soul and I don't have a cold, black heart like he does.

I like to think it's a more of a dark grey with a hint of magenta/yellow to warm it up, I do sometimes offer up a discount to them
This cold hearted approach to business money likely comes from my parents, my dad was a builder so he would never do work for free, he'd maybe help out for a 'beer' but thats as far it would go, and my mum is so methodical with keeping records of money etc you could likely find out what she spent on something 10+ years ago lol. I don't expect or ask for others to do anything for me for free either, especially if it's their livelihood.

 

[scotty]

I like to think it's a more of a dark grey with a hint of magenta/yellow to warm it up, I do sometimes offer up a discount to them
This cold hearted approach to business money likely comes from my parents, my dad was a builder so he would never do work for free, he'd maybe help out for a 'beer' but thats as far it would go, and my mum is so methodical with keeping records of money etc you could likely find out what she spent on something 10+ years ago lol. I don't expect or ask for others to do anything for me for free either, especially if it's their livelihood.

C=50, M=50, Y=50, K=100
(Rich Black)

 

[gprovan]

It's a difficult situation. I wonder if it would be possible to recreate the flyer using the correct corporate colours, etc., and then show them the difference.
Explain that you are a professional and that, despite you doing the work for free, you feel that this undermines your credibility and reputation.
If you're still happy to do the work for free, then explain this but personally I'd give them a gentle ultimatum - let you do the work, follow the corporate guidelines, or you walk.