It’d be foolish not to learn from my past experiences, and it’d be more foolish not to improve as a result. Between graduating and accepting a full-time position at Georgia Tech, I tried a bit of freelancing. It was my first time involved with contract work, and I learned it is much more difficult than I imagined. However, I did gain valuable insights, but nearly wrecked my future in freelancing. Here are a few of the lessons I’ve learned.
Project #1
From my first project, I learned quite a bit about scope creep. Since I didn’t have a written contract, I had no recourse for dealing with requests for revisions. When the client asked for something new or different, I mindlessly agreed without considering the project objectives (which were not clearly defined anyway), the time necessary to deliver, or the possibility of charging extra for unspecified work. Additionally, I wasted a great deal of time both procrastinating and focusing on minor issues. I damaged my reputation and the reputation of the design profession. My integrity was on the line; I did not safeguard it. Looking back, I would have developed more documentation to regulate the work I was expected to deliver. I would have charged a free-fall rate, paid in advance before any work began. I would have also spent more time planning as to ensure I could deliver what was required. This way, my client and I would not have been hurt by the (lack of) results during the project.
Project #2
In my second project, I felt the effects of wasting time. Again I had no advanced payment nor contract to govern my responsibilities. There also was no explicit deadline for the project’s completion. Several silent weeks passed by, and I was still in the dark. Suddenly, I received an email from my client requesting my finished work and I had nothing to deliver. I began doing a rush job, sacrificing quality for a speedy turnaround. What a bad idea! I overlooked important details, and eventually I got myself into another big scope creep dilemma. I was asked to make design changes to meet a requirement that wasn’t originally specified. Although in my ability to do, this request was outside of my scope in the project. I consented and I spent many hours doing this task, knowing I should not have been responsible for it. In the end, the product was delivered in shambles, and I received no pay.
Project #3
By the time I began my third project, I’d learned to create a project plan. I still didn’t have a definitive contract, but at least I had agreement with my client about the project requirements. However, I soon discovered a contract not only defines my obligations, but also the obligations of my client. When confusion arose over information and materials I needed from my client, it went without saying that I should have made those things clear much earlier. Another major problem was a lack of focus. I defined my tasks in massive chunks, too broad to be actionable. I thought large goals would speak volumes about what I was to accomplish. I couldn’t have been more incorrect. In actuality, my attention was sparse at best. I was not focused with laser precision on what needed to be done; I was a floodlight searching for any sign of activity. I further pinned myself in a corner by underestimating the amount of time I needed to complete the project. I was overly confident I could deliver with time to spare. When I missed my original deadline, I saw clearly that bravado does not signify a competent professional. It speaks of an arrogant amateur, one not fit to provide a solution to a design problem.
Lessons Learned
Taking everything into consideration, I can boil my lessons down to these three guidelines:
- Use a contract to define the obligations of all parties.
- Use a project plan to remain the focused on the real requirements.
- Deliver what you agree, when you agree, no excuses.
Honestly, I admit I was responsible for most (if not all) of the problems I encountered during these projects. I still have work to do to correct my course, but that journey is for another blog post. Suffice it to say I will bounce back in time. I will freelance as a true professional.
