Freelance Designer Research Articles

A Study on Legal, Institutional, and Industrial Improvement Measures to Revitalize Design Startups - Focusing on Freelance Designers

A Study on Legal, Institutional, and Industrial Improvement Measures to Revitalize Design Startups - Focusing on Freelance Designers

Proposed Communication Tools for Freelance Designers : Focused On KakaoTalk Chat Room

Proposed Communication Tools for Freelance Designers : Focused On KakaoTalk Chat Room

Social capital creation on professional sharing economy platforms: The problems of rating dependency and the non-transferability of social capital

The sharing economy platforms facilitate collaboration across geographical boundaries and promote service innovation by reshaping traditional business networks. This study takes a Social Capital Theory perspective on how Social Capital (SC) is created on professional sharing economy platforms, with particular attention to the creative services industry. Our in-depth qualitative investigation draws on 35 interviews with freelance designers and platform clients based in 17 different countries. The study demonstrates that SC created outside sharing economy platforms is not readily transferred to these platforms, which represents a major difference from the dynamics of SC in more traditional settings. Furthermore, SC transfer between platforms is difficult. Building platform-specific SC ‘from scratch’ requires a significant effort and is highly dependent on reputation systems, in the form of ratings and reviews. We argue that the platforms’ reputation systems force members to become ‘slaves’ to ensuring their star ratings and reviews are as good as possible. In addition, we explore how platform members learn to build SC on the platforms beyond ratings and reviews. Overall, the study contributes to academic discussions on opportunities and challenges for service innovation within the sharing economy and introduces the application of Social Capital Theory to the context of sharing economy platforms.

Exploring craft practice in learning communities

This paper presents an initial research project to explore what characterizes knowledge production in craft practice situated in an informal/neutral learning arena outside the education institution. The research project is carried out by craft and design researchers from Norway and Denmark. The project participants include students, academics, older generation volunteers with craft experience, freelance designers, and arts and craft persons, as well as researchers. The overall methodology is a case study approach and has references to practice-led research, participatory design research and A/R/Tography. In this paper we present the research design of the project. Along a theoretical framework consisting of research perspectives of each of our institutional traditions, we lastly discuss the challenges in engaging a neutral learning arena, throughout and as preparation for our research project.

Features of the functioning of the Ukrainian market for design work and the development of design in a pandemic.

The market for design work in civil and industrial construction was one of the first to react to the crisis trends during a pandemic in the economy. Back in 2013, the volume of orders declined, and the peak of the decline was in 2014. The main reason for the difficulties is the reduction in investment programs of civil and industrial enterprises, and developers. The Ukrainian market for design works is distinguished by a high level of competition. A large number of design companies are actively working in this market niche. This fact constantly pushes market participants to take active steps to adjust the competitive strategy, positioning strategy and pricing. The primary signs of a crisis in design are also recognized through price indicators, which personify both the cost of the project or design services, and the results of the project enterprise, taking into account the factors that form the price level. In recent years, the price indicators of the construction industry have been unstable and completely dependent on external market conditions. Price as an economic characteristic is a significant regulator in the project market of Ukraine and abroad. The design market is the backbone of the construction industry with a volume of over UAH 1 billion per year and high added value. The field requires highly qualified staffing and the introduction of modern technologies. Outdated systems of training, certification of specialists and technical regulation hinder the development of the project market in Ukraine. The market is prone to underestimated cost of design work. In 2018, the share of design in the total cost of construction in Ukraine averaged 1.5-2%; in France it was 8-13%, and in Great Britain the level reached 10-17%. There is practically no system of state orders for design. Today our market is characterized by technological backwardness. The work of designers is low-paid, which, accordingly, affects the quality. High-quality architecture is more expensive than low-quality one. In Ukraine, the demand for quality design is just beginning to emerge. In this regard, it is very important to create a competitive environment that will contribute to development.
 The project market, like the construction industry as a whole, is extremely heterogeneous. Currently, there are thousands of various design bureaus and small workshops in Ukraine, employing no more than ten people, and the number of freelance designers cannot be statistically estimated. Prices for design, as well as the approaches used to provide services, differ dramatically in these organizations. A high price for a service does not necessarily guarantee that the quality of its delivery will be the same. Therefore, first of all, one should imagine what kind of work will be performed and what their essence is. Many investors prefer to design their facilities using the services of European specialists. What are the features and secrets of the Ukrainian project market? Are there really so few good designers in their country, and by what parameters can they still be found? The article examines the features of the functioning of the Ukrainian market for design work and the development of design in a pandemic.

Reproducing Global Inequalities in the Online Labour Market: Valuing Capital in the Design Field

Millions of freelancers work on digital platforms in the online labour market (OLM). The OLM’s capacity to both undermine and reproduce labour inequalities is a theme in contemporary platform economy debates. What is less well understood is how processes of social (re)production take place in practice for diverse freelancers on global platforms. Drawing on a study of freelance designers, we use Bourdieu’s notions of capital and field to explore the specific ‘rules of the game’ and the symbolic valuing of skills and identities that secure legitimacy and advantage in the OLM. We contribute to contemporary debates by illuminating the power of Global North actors to shape freelancer positions and hierarchies in the online design field. The ‘cost advantages’ of Global South workers are counterbalanced by the symbolic legitimising of specific cultural and social practices (specifically in relation to language) and the devaluing of others.

Pengaruh Corona Terhadap Freelance Designer di Surabaya

This study aims to analyze the effect of corona on freelance designers in Surabaya. The effects caused by the coronavirus are many, including: panic buying, anxiety when traveling domestically and abroad, school schedules, lectures, and work becoming irregular and chaotic, some shops experiencing a decline in income, some workers being laid off, and of course this incident greatly affects businesses, including freelance designers. This study uses qualitative research methods, namely online interviews with several individuals who work as freelance designers. After doing research, it can be concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic does not have much effect on the sustainability of freelance designers. The results of these studies can be supported by existing research and theories. 
 Keywords: corona, pandemic, freelancer designer, business.

Online Marketplace Characteristics for Freelance Designers

Marketplace is one of the choice places for designers to market the products they create. Online Marketplace is a networking site or application on a gadget that provides online trading facilities from various sources. In the marketplace, application owners or website networks only provide facilities for users to display products sold. In addition, the marketplace owner also provides facilities in the form of bridging online transactions between sellers (designers) and buyers. In utilizing the marketplace, designers must know the needs and desires and design market trends. Because with accurate data related to needs, trend design will greatly help designers to create design products that are suitable for the market. Not only the idealism of designers in making works, but also still relies on dynamically changing demands.
 This study intends to determine the design trends that are in accordance with the desires and needs of the graphic design market so that they can help designers determine the making of works sold in the marketplace. This study uses a qualitative research approach to explore all phenomena that occur in the world of online design marketplace. Through this qualitative approach, researchers will understand social reality, see what conditions exist in the sale and purchase of design products and design trends that are popular in society. This qualitative approach is sought to be directed at identifying the trend design and style design that designers need for the basis of making designs that can be sold in the marketplace.
 
 Keywords: Online Marketplace, Design Marketplace, Freelance Designer

ПСИХОЛОГИЧЕСКОЕ КОНСУЛЬТИРОВАНИЕ ДИЗАЙНЕРОВ-ФРИЛАНСЕРОВ С РАЗНЫМ УРОВНЕМ ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОЙ АДАПТАЦИИ

Introduction. This study examines the problem of professional adaptation of freelance designers, which is of particular relevance due to the insufficient coverage of this issue, the annual increase in the number of freelancers in the design environment, the specifics of professional adaptation of freelancers engaged in interior design, and the lack of specially developed programs for psychological counseling of freelance designers with different levels of professional adaptation. This work aims to study the professional adaptation of freelance designers and to build and test a psychological counseling program for freelance designers with various levels of professional adaptation. Methods and materials. The study involved several groups of participants. For each group, an individual psychological counseling program was developed and implemented. The program contains modeling, developing, training, and analytical methods. The paper presents the program implementation results, which show the change in the indicators of professional adaptation of freelance designers with different levels of professional adaptation. Results. Analysis performed in this study has confirmed the assumption that professional adaptation of the freelancers at issue has various levels (high, medium, and low). In this work, each level is assigned a certain characteristic with corresponding indicators. Conclusion. The findings of the study indicate that traditional methods cannot affect the professional adaptation of freelancers. In this regard, psychological counseling is one of the most effective approaches. Keywords: professional disadaptation, job satisfaction, professional stress, psychological counseling program, adaptability of freelancers.

An Internal Company Analysis of Avalanche Creative: Toward Enhancing Business Management in the Creative Design Industry

This paper has provided a company analysis of Avalanche Creative, focusing on major strengths and weaknesses, as well as industry-related opportunities and threats that pose risks to the survival of the firm. The company stretches beyond creative design to offer additional services such as photography, brochure design, catalogue design, logo design, and website design. From the SWOT analysis, strengths include the leading market position, the diversification of the company’s end market, and the presence of a sound operational performance that promises better productivity and increased profitability. On the other hand, weaknesses include customer centralization, the aspect of suspending the company’s innovative practices, and minimal external consultation. The opportunities facing the company in relation to industry operations include the growing demand for graphic design and logo design products in the wake of evolving digital solutions and e-commerce, strategic initiatives and new product launches, and the capacity to embrace strategic partnerships. Major threats at the company and industry levels include stiff competition and the emerging pool of freelance designers, the presence of stringent government policies (such as restrictions surrounding the quantity of investment, pressure towards sustainability, and the practice of taxation), and uncertain outcomes of research and development. To counter these adversities, some of the recommended strategies include embracing feedback programs, fostering employee training and development, and facilitating the company’s research and development efforts to ensure that investments in beneficial strategies are highly informed. Overall, an implementation of these strategies is poised to assure the ability to survive future industry uncertainties for Avalanche Creative.

When running fast is not the best option: failure of user involvement in design development processes

This paper analyses barriers to user involvement in design development by focusing on a failure case. By conducting a single-case study on a freelance designer and his client, we found that an accelerated speed of development was among the most important factors that negatively influenced the development of creative concepts, including the final product. This accelerated speed of development limited the time allocated to user involvement and impacted both the product-client fit and the artistic value that makes creative products relevant or appealing in the first place. Specifically, this paper contributes to the scholarship on the failure of user involvement by analysing an actor (a freelancer) with very limited resources. In addition, this paper extends our understanding about the formation of the outcome of user involvement: the final product. From a managerial perspective, this paper serves as a warning about the drawbacks of adopting accelerated product development and provides guidance on how to avoid unsuccessful user involvement.

프리랜서 디자이너를 위한 ‘예술인 복지법’ 재정립의 필요성

본 연구의 목적은 지난 5년 동안 대다수의 국내 프리랜서 디자이너들이 ‘예술이 복지법’의 혜택을 받지 못하고 있다는 사실에 근거하여 그 원인을 살펴보고 이를 재정립 할 필요성이 있음을 주장하는 것이다. 2017년 산업디자인 통계조사가 보여주듯 프리랜서 디자이너들은 국내 디자인 산업 발전에 큰 역할을 수행해왔음에도 불구하고 저임금을 받으며 불안정한 생활을 영위해 나가면서도 자신들의 활동을 증명할 수 없는 복합적인 문제를 안고 있다. ‘예술인 복지법’에서 현재 디자인 분야는 응용미술 분야 중 하나로 분류되어 있고, 그에 따라 미술 활동을 하는 예술가와 마찬가지로 디자이너 역시 전시 활동의 횟수를 예술활동증명 과정에서 입증할 것이 요구되고 있다. 그러나 사실상 상당수의 디자이너들이 기업 또는 고객과의 관계에서 이들의 요구에 기민하게 반응할 수밖에 없는 조건과 환경에서 창작활동을 해오고 있다. 즉, 이들은 순수미술 분야의 예술가와는 달리 자신의 창작물에 대한 소유권을 주장할 수 없는 피고용인의 입장에 있기 때문에 자신의 작품이라고 하더라도 독립된 공간에서 대중에게 이를 선보이는 일이 쉽지 않다. 결국 ‘예술인 복지법’에서 명시하고 있는 예술활동증명의 내용은 프리랜서 디자이너들이 처한 특수한 작업 환경이 반영되었다고 보기 어렵다. 다양한 디자인 분야에서 일한 경험이 있는 전문 프리랜서 디자이너들 역시 현재의 예술활동증명 방식에 문제가 있으며 보다 현실적이고 합리적인 증명 기준이 필요하다고 주장하고 있다. 이 점은 디자인 문화가 발달된 유럽 5개 국가들의 디자이너 지원 시스템과 현재 우리나라의 디자인 문화 및 지원 시스템과 비교할 때 더욱 강조될 수 있다. 유럽의 경우 국가가 체계적으로 프리랜서 디자이너들을 관리하며, 이들을 위한 재원을 마련하는 방식이 합리적으로 신진 디자이너와 경력 있는 디자이너 모두 창작의 기회를 가질 수 있는 반면, 우리나라의 프리랜서 디자이너들의 경우 예술인복지법이 디자이너들의 작업 환경에 대한 이해를 결여하고 있는 까닭에 전혀 혜택을 받지 못하고 있다. 따라서 이들의 창작행위가 정당한 혜택을 받을 수 있도록 ‘예술인 복지법’이 재조정되어야 할 필요가 있다.

Socio‐economic profile and working conditions of freelancers in co‐working spaces and work collectives: evidence from the design sector in Greece

Third places, such as business incubators, co‐working spaces and work collectives, represent a new ecosystem of collaborative working practices in the creative economy that alters significantly the spatial distribution of work and the notion of ‘workplace’. Collaborative workplaces emerged after the gradual collapse of the stable employment paradigm that was one of the main features of the Keynesian welfare state and as a response to precarious working conditions that were augmented during the recent economic crisis and the subsequent recession. The paper contributes to the critical understanding of these new geographies of workplace and working conditions that third places manifest. Using data from a large survey about the economics and the working conditions of Greek designers and from four interviews with freelancers in work collectives and facilitators of co‐working spaces, the paper sheds light on the socio‐economic profile and the working conditions of Greek freelance designers that use co‐working spaces and work collectives as means of reducing precarious working conditions and personal–professional risks. The results show that designers in third places, in contrast to freelancers who use formal workplaces or work from home, work long hours with poor pay and a large proportion have no safety net with regard to social security. Third places can be enclaves of the shadow economy and of very specific precarious working conditions. On the other hand, third places help freelance designers become more embedded to business networks, both local and foreign, rather than working in isolation. Networking effects between freelancers and self‐employed who choose to work in third places usually result in greater opportunities for outsourcing and subcontracting and in more exports.

Emergence: How Insect Illustrations Evolve under Carim Nahaboo’s Artistic Hand

On a spare desk in a communal studio in central London, an elaborate insect slowly emerges from a blank page. The office space bustles with other freelance illustrators, designers, and animators, b...

Designers in the Nineteenth-Century Scottish Fancy Textile Industry: Education, Employment and Exhibition

According to report in the 1930s, the textile industry was a bigger consumer of design input than any other manufacturing sector, with the largest number of designs originating in studios attached to individual works (42%), followed by a similar percentage from overseas commercial studios, and only a relatively small proportion generated by either English commercial studios (13%) or freelance designers (3%). Pevsner, at much the same time, identified variations in practice according to the type of textile produced, with designs for woven fabrics mostly generated in-house and designs for prints, which was the bigger area of production, more likely to be purchased from elsewhere. 1 Certain developments distinct to the early twentieth century differentiated the experience of textile design in the 1930s from what had prevailed in the century before, in particular the growing importance of named designers in textile marketing, which gave better career prospects to in-house employees. 2 But these contemporary observations on inter-war design offer useful insights that help us to understand the complexities of the earlier industry. Examining the character of design employment, education and exhibition in Glasgow and Dunfermline, which were major centres of printed cotton and woven linen production, provides an insight into a complex provincial engagement with the processes of textile design at the height of the industry’s commercial success, and adds a Scottish perspective to a subject that has hitherto been examined mainly with reference to Manchester. 3 Almost no direct information survives in business records for the names of the designers who worked in the Scottish printed cotton industry. Where information does exist

Sound Exploration: Text to Music

This sound exploration repurposes the familiar – written text – and literally translates it into music giving text a new form. Author/Artist Bio Raisa Park, BFA Art Center College of Design Raisa Park is process and research driven multi-disciplinary graphic designer practicing in visual communication, spatial, interaction, and emerging media with emphasis in branding and innovation with an educational background in BFA from Art Center College of Design. Her passion lies in rediscovering the meaning of innovation and strategy in the convergence of design and every day life by crossing various disciplinary platforms through collaborating with other designers or specialists of other fields. Annalisa Swank, BFA Art Center College of Design Annalisa Swank specialized in Motion Graphics at Art Center and – with a BA in English and Studio Art from Principia College – has a deep interest in language, writing systems, information design and their growing roles in interaction design. She is currently a freelance designer in Los Angeles.

A Note of Gratitude

A Note of Gratitude

Coping with Freelance Termination Interests

This comment briefly explores potentially dual protection for logos. Although authorship confers no trademark rights, it may generate copyright interests despite the intent of artists and clients. Logos created by full-time employees pose no problem. Ones created by free lance designers, however, pose a risk, if remote, of termination. Whether that generates a serious threat to the independence of freelance artists remains to be seen, but it can be reduced if not elimated by artists who choose to be employees of their own businesses.

Neurons: Animated Cellular and Molecular Concepts

OPEN ACCESSMarch 27, 2006Neurons: Animated Cellular and Molecular Concepts Patricia Stewart, BSc, MSc, PhD Patricia Stewart, BSc, MSc, PhD University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine Google Scholar More articles by this author https://doi.org/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.201 SectionsAboutAbstract ToolsDownload Citations ShareFacebookTwitterEmail AbstractAbstractThis web-based tutorial was designed for learners with no background in neuroscience that struggle with basic concepts. It is intended be used early in a course to bring these learners up to a basic level of competency. Basic events in neuronal function (e.g., establishment of the resting membrane potential, action potentials, neurotransmitter release, postsynaptic mechanisms, and axonal transport) are explained using minimal text and interactive, two-dimensional animations. The interface is set up as a small booklet of eight chapters, each addressing one aspect of neuronal function. A link to “Downloadable Animations” is included for teachers who wish to include the animations in their lectures or tutorials. Educational Objectives By the end of the module the learner will be able to: Describe the structural aspects of a neuron that are critical to its functions.Describe axonal transport of different organelles in both orthograde and retrograde directions and explain why different organelles are transported at different rates.List different types of basic ion channels and explain their functions.Describe how the resting membrane potential is established, including the roles Na+-K+ ATPase and passive ion channels.Explain the action potential and its propagation in myelinated versus unmyelinated axons.Describe two types of neurotransmitter release at the axon terminal and predict the effects of drugs that affect docking proteins and voltage-gated calcium channels. Sign up for the latest publications from MedEdPORTAL Add your email below FILES INCLUDEDReferencesRelatedDetails FILES INCLUDED Included in this publication: Neurons.swf To view all publication components, extract (i.e., unzip) them from the downloaded .zip file. Download editor’s noteThis publication may contain technology or a display format that is no longer in use. Copyright & Permissions© 2006 Stewart. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives license.KeywordsNeurotransmitterAxonal TransportMembrane PotentialsNeuronal FunctionAction PotentialAcknowledgmentsT. Cameron is a free-lance designer who was paid to construct the Flash file that is the basis of the tutorial. The grant from which she was paid was obtained by the other two authors. Ms. Cameron was included as the third author on the basis of the creative and scholarly suggestions she made for improvement of the program during the course of its construction. Disclosures None to report. Funding/Support None to report. Prior Presentations Stewart PA, Wilson-Pauwels L. Neurons, animated concepts. New software demonstration at: Slice of Life, Computers in Medical Education Conference; June 2004; Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Stewart PA, Wilson-Pauwels L, Cameron T. Neurons, animated concepts: the next generation. Electronic poster presented at: Slice of Life/AAMC Conference; June 14–18; Portland Oregon. Loading ...

Why Design Is Important: Five Designers Speak to Non-Designers

This exploration of the importance of design in scholarly publishing by Robert Tombs was originally presented as the introduction to a panel discussion on the same subject at the annual meeting of the Association of American University Presses in Toronto, Ontario, in 2001. Participants on the panel included George Mackie, RDI, freelance designer; Cameron Poulter, freelance designer; Henk van Assen, acting co-director of the Department of Graphic Design at Yale School of Art; and Jenny Armour, freelance designer.