The recent turn of the list towards this discussion - of why designers are
so protectionist -
for want of a better term - might have something to do with daily life as a
designer.

Everybody knows better than a designer how something should look! (meaning
our colleagues
 - and not the User here - heaven forbid)

In fact, I would like to ask anyone on this list who has paid for their
mortgage by 'colouring-in';
(my generic black and white terminology for being a designer), what their
own experiences are?

It is extremely frustrating, creating designs and concepts, models and
prototypes,
to have the aesthetics modified by somebody with the dress sense of a
...."fill in your own blank here".

Kitchens are the best example - how any designer ever gets a kitchen
designed - is beyond me.

I positively refuse to help friends with the design of their houses - after
some fairly dismal attempts to
help in the past. I am honestly sure it is not just personal arrogance. It
seems that when I have suggested
something, and made a visual presentation - they have always gone 180
degrees in the other direction.

The old adage that we "only value that which we pay for" is of of validity
in this case.

Even worse, was when I had just left design college. A presentation to a
local shop owner - at their bequest -
resulted in no payment and the salutary words - you can use our name to get
more work. Ha - what encouragement!

Imagine my surprise, when the shop fitting company installed my work - with
slight modification.

Then there is the ego issue. The work you present to a client is your soul,
your very reason for existing, your
personality and talent all wrapped up in a few sketches. The very reason -
that you are not the kind of person
paying for such abilities. A life not filled with drudgery - just
colouring-in and hoping it works.

It is no wonder designers develop an ego 'skin' to protect themselves. The
more artistic the design field -
tending to create a stronger ego to help protect these core and deeply
personal issues.

When some incredibly talentless and dull business individual rips into a
designer's work - what effect do
you think they have on the designer? It is almost as if they are destroying
that person's soul. If you are not
a designer - I'll argue here that you cannot really understand this point.

If we gazed into the designer's brain as their work was getting castigated
we might find the following thoughts:

"You imbecilic talentless buffoon, only the fact that your father owns the
business is why you are here. How can I
take this crap from this moron? etc, etc."

Please remember that at this point the designer is smiling graciously,
might be scowling, or has picked up
all the paper and walked out in a huff.

But as professionals - that is what we have to take. Often working for free
to secure further work, or struggling
to get the printed word accurately reflecting on who actually did the
designing. (more pain)

We also seem to have forgotten some basic English verbs:

Organising
Programming
Composing
Creating
Writing
Developing
Painting
Sculpting
Drawing
Sketching
Laying Out
Modifying

All of these words can be used for what the majority of folks do everyday.
Yes, all of them, skirt on the edge of design -
and are creative. But when we say we are 'designing an organisation' and
not simply 'organising a business or group' we are
modifying the terminology to our own ends.

Finally, the question of designers keeping this protected act of design to
themselves. What is really wrong with
Frank Lloyd Wright having no interest in letting others know how he did
something? Do other professionals such as
lawyers and accountants readily spill the beans without a charge? Are we as
professionals bound to a socialist cause?

By the way - I will use that shop's name - Carmichael's of Beverley. After
all these years - it feels a lot better out than in.

This email will be easy to dismiss on this list. It is an honest and
sincere attempt to describe how at least one designer feels.

GJ
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