Instead of seeing us as people who brought valuable knowledge and expertise to the project, they saw us as the hands that would execute their vision.
The above bit from Nic captures a dynamic I want to address upfront with clients, so they never treat me as just a pair of hands.
Then there’s the this bit, which really resonated with me (because I’ve been there too and it sucks):
While I personally believe in the value of good design, I also believe there are a lot of smoke-and-mirrors in the industry, and I hated the thought that I might have inadvertently contributed to it. Even if the client is happy, it didn’t meet my internal bar for a quality product worth sticking my name on, and I feel like I’ve let down both the client and the end-users.
Nic mentions how they hope to avoid similar situations in the future by blogging:
By blogging, I’m putting a body of work out there that communicates my values and ethos. While much of the details of my client work has to remain private, these posts can be public, and hopefully they can help me find people who resonate with what I have to offer. Or you know, just be bold enough to communicate ‘Fuck off’ to those who don’t!