Former NYTimes.com Director of Design and influential designer/blogger Khoi Vinh wrote a post a while back titled “The End of Client Services” wherein he described why he felt that the design agency model was no longer a viable option for him. The incendiary title earned him quite a bit of reaction, so much so that he ended up posting a follow-up piece “In Defense of Client Services”.
Khoi has worked both sides of the street, so to speak, so it’s natural for him to have a preference for in/out of house. I think the reaction was provoked largely because he projected a personal preference onto an entire industry. While I don’t work directly in the same field of design as him, I think his comments had parallels to my work and many other disciplines besides. Like him, I have tried both in and out over the course of my career, and I too have a definite preference.
The Never-Ending Project
He was quite correct in pointing out that there are more opportunities than ever before to work in-house and have the chance to develop something really great to a depth and level of involvement that may rarely, if ever, arise in consulting. What my stint “inside” taught me was that those projects never quite finish, and never quite go away. Things can always be made better (or worse), tweaked, fiddled with and adjusted, and that can become a burden. For me, the burden began to feel very, very heavy. Perfection can never be attained, yet with seemingly unlimited in-house resources at your disposal, it’s often tempting to try.
Respect
I enjoy the variety that comes with consulting, and do manage to get involved with some very interesting and challenging projects. What I think I like most about it though, is the faith that clients put in me to deliver results. It is truly an honor to have a client choose me to do a project for them, it’s a vote of confidence that I take very seriously. Contrast that with in-house — you’re “the designer”, they have to use you, like it or not. Sure, it depends on the culture at the place you’re working, how much design is truly valued versus seen as a necessary evil. If you’re considering in-house work, you’ll want to be sure just what kind of culture you’re signing up for.
Best for You
There’s no one right path that applies to all designers. We have to know ourselves, and understand what is the best way for us as individuals to practice our calling. Going in-house may be just the thing for you, and you should certainly try it if you can find the right opportunity. Client services has been a great fit for me, but your mileage may vary. If you’re at the start of your career, try as many different situations as possible. With an open mind, you’ll learn from every one of them, and eventually find the way of practice that’s made for you.
Like this? More from the Design Process category.
Follow me on Twitter (@intudes) for interesting links and occasional observations.
Subscribe to the RSS feed, and don’t miss another post.
