Outsourcing work has become almost commonplace in the design industry. Larger, busier companies have started outsourcing design and writing work to freelancers or smaller companies, creating the ability for them to take on more work and bolster their own portfolio. People have started outsourcing their personal workload (shopping, bills, getting dry cleaning done) as they don’t have time for day-to-day tasks thanks to their workload.

On the other side, taking outsourced work is another gateway of income for freelance designers, myself included.

I’m a web designer by trade who has a hearty passion for graphic design and branding. I offer graphic and identity design services to new clients and customers. Firstly, because I enjoy doing it and have always delivered results the client wanted but secondly, the job gets turned around a lot quicker.

While I might be happy to outsource part of a web development or design project, given past experience, I don’t think I would take an outsourced web development or design project. The reason being is a question of control.

One project springs to mind where I found myself completely in the middle, the company who outsourced the work demanding their own taste, twist and designs be put into place, something which left me thinking “well, if you want it done your way then why did you come to me in the first place?”.

Plus there’s an element of too many links in the chain. When I’m taking on new web work I like to meet and deal with the ultimate end user, the one who has the vision for the company and the vision for the website. Not the follow a chain of director to manager to sales person to front office person to design company to designer, down the outsource path, to me. It takes too long for feedback and too long to produce a result. In that situation, you’ll find that the project you budgeted six weeks for is now running at eight weeks, or ten weeks, or beyond.

However, when it comes to graphic design, the approach is different. I aim for a three day turnaround, depending on the scope and brief of the design, plus current workload, though the first drafts are usually presented within a three day window.

As you’ve got the visual goods at hand and something tangible to review and approve within three days, the flow of feedback is usually quicker and the end result turned around faster.

I guess it depends on the structure put in place first. If you’re allowed an element of direct contact, or full contact, then all the better, but as a creative mind it is nearly impossible to keep a designer in the dark, wouldn’t you think?

Have you had any joy in taking outsourced web development work? Or any horror stories as a result?

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