Dear Client – Ethics of design contracting
Providing a sketch with a bid is asking for the fundamental core and highest value aspect of the design process, to be provided for free, upfront – full stop. You cant go to a lawyer to show you the conviction, or an accountant for how much money you are going to profit, etc ….
I am a firm believer of the absolute importance and power of concept, concept is everything, and everything else in design is mechanics.
This idea may be overcome by paying a stipend as part of the bid process, but this is still just a kernel of an idea, the design is not complete. Even if you think you hold ‘privledge’ as a matter of project type or scale, it is an insult to ‘our work’ and our profession.
Do you as a client work for free? Please dont ask us too, we wont. If a designer does this spec work, they are violating professional ethics.