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Ask HN: Best Place to run a UI Design contest ?

13 points by jarsj ↗ HN
We have a version of web application and we would like to have some designers compete on a homepage redesign so that I can get some alternate design ideas. Where would you suggest I do it. The budget would be around 800-1000$ for a single (or max 2) PSDs.

21 comments

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faramarz
Try crowdspring.com

I have competed there before and the quality of work is greater compared to other places.

The other advantage is (not necessarily fair) that you can walk away with your money if you're not fully satisfied. the website will cover a min. payment given to the best designer for their effort.

Here's my profile if you do sign up, i'll be glad to compete http://www.crowdspring.com/user/faramarz/ratings/

placer14
How do designers typically feel about crowdspring.com as opposed to what 99designs is doing? They both seem to have similar models.
rosskimbarovsky
There are some similarities, but frankly, more differences. crowdSPRING projects are, on average, much higher in value. There are typically many more $1000+ projects, for example, and often, $5000+ projects on crowdSPRING.

crowdSPRING offers graphic and web design projects (99designs does too). But crowdSPRING also offers industrial design (products and product packaging) and copywriting projects.

More info about differences here: http://bit.ly/whycS

lox
Although there are far fewer contests overall.

Our top designers tell us they tend to avoid the higher prize contests in favour of the mid-ranged ones where there is less competition and simpler requirements.

billturner
I think the design "contests" are frowned upon by many in the design community, arguing that it's nothing more than "spec" work (and specifically sites like the already mentioned 99designs and crowdspring).

Some info on this can be found here: http://www.no-spec.com/ (edited to add this link, specifically about design contests: http://www.no-spec.com/articles/design-contests/)

Personally, I would ask some colleagues (or folks here) for some recommendations on design firms.

wdewind
As a designer I think we need to learn to cope better with stuff like 99 designs. Good designers don't really have a ton of trouble getting work in metro areas right now, and to disregard how much better something like 99 designs can be (CAN be) for many clients is ignorant.

Let's not be the RIAA in the face of distributed change.

ismarc
I think the problem is not with designers (or developers, or producers, sound engineers, etc.) it's that the companies that run the "contests" don't have a real budget, don't understand the work that goes into creating the work and want the "best bang for the buck" by just saying "give me something". Also, because design work is such a creative/customer specific product, most design "contests" are work that can't reasonably be used elsewhere, if the contest even allows you to retain full rights to the work. This is an effective devaluing of the work that's produced by people who are clueless about the real work/time involved. Compare the Netflix contest to any contest on 99designs.
wdewind
>the companies that run the "contests" don't have a real budget, don't understand the work that goes into creating the work and want the "best bang for the buck" by just saying "give me something"

I hate this market, and as a designer I choose not to work with it. But it's there, and it should be served.

Designers need to stop acting like 99designs takes food out of their mouths. It's just a different market. If you are really being hurt by 99 designs then you aren't a good designer.

lox
Absolutely, I look at it as creating a new segment of the market, much like crowdsourcing did for stock photography.

99designs main customers are small businesses that wouldn't otherwise have been able to justify what they view as a risky spend on design.

faramarz
It's frowned upon by those who feel threatened (mostly because the institutions tell them to). but, really, the top-tier designers have no trouble finding work. In fact their body of work brings the client to them, rather than chasing work with spec offerings.

That said, it's a grey area. I hate it sometimes.. but every now and then I find myself on those sites and it blows my mind to see $2k awarded for mediocre work. That motivates me to spend a few hours and compete for a project or two. It's certainty not sustainable to do it for a long period.

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rosskimbarovsky
The crowdSPRING (http://www.crowdspring.com) community (more than 65,000 designers and writers from nearly every country on Earth) would love to help with your homepage redesign. We've worked with thousands of entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses (and some of the best agencies and Brands) from all over the world. 96% of our customers recommend us to others - here's WHY: http://bit.ly/whycS
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antidaily
Just buy a theme from a theme shop. There are tons of app and app-related designs.
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[dead] davidkim
no serious web app would do this.
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limedaring
I wrote an article a few years ago about my projects with crowdSPRING (which applies to other spec contests in general), which boiled down to clients acting as art directors. The people running the contests will ask for changes ("Oh, I'd rather have this over here"), which in a normal designer/client relationship, the designer has more power to say, "I wouldn't recommend doing that because of the UX/standards/good design/etc". However, with spec contests, designers will keep making the changes that the client wants because that's how they'd win the contest.

Your home page isn't just about what looks pretty. It's also going to be how well things work/how to drive your customers to converting. And spec contests reduce it down to just prettiness.

I'd recommend working with a freelancer or a design firm, who will do more than just placing a skin on your site but also keeps conversion in mind as well.