Identifying a 'Faker' in the Design Space
Jessica Valis
Revolutionizing Local Government | Empowering Municipalities with Digital Transparency & Accessibility
We’ve all heard the phrase ’Fake it till you make it.’ This seems like great encouragement if you are an entrepreneur and need all the help you can get. But what if you're on the other side of the business arrangement?
What if the company you've just hired is faking it a little too good, and when a project is ’complete, it's really only half done?
Here are three red flags that will help identify a graphic design/web design faker.
1. ?? Their website takes longer than 2 seconds to load.
This indicates that they have not properly sized images and have way too much fluff on their website. They can make a website look good, but they can't make it function efficiently.
2. ?? They are a jack of all trades.
I'll be the first to admit that I offer several services that all correlate to business branding, but I know where to draw the line. I'm not a business coach, I'm not a marketing consultant, and I'm no SEO expert.
When a designer spreads themselves too thin, they do not have the opportunity to be proficient in the many services they say they can provide.
3. ?? There is no portfolio on their website.
If a designer doesn't display their projects, it's one of a few reasons.
I’ve been very upfront about my lack of portfolio. When I left Wells Fargo Securities in July 2019, all my pieces belonged to the company and were confidential. I was legally not permitted to take them with me. Therefore, it appeared as if I was starting from scratch.
However, this is a rare instance. A big reason could be that the "designer" does not have a portfolio or is not proud of the previously created work.
Never buy blindly!
Feel out a designer from their website. Meet with them face-to-face if possible. A designer should always bring portfolio samples. This will give you a good indication if they are 'faking it' or actually 'making it'!