![]() ![]() When someone wants the working files we can presume this means the files on the server. With our website project, the end deliverable is a website. That really is as complicated as it gets. With our business card example, our working file is going to be something like an InDesign file. Let's look at our project examples to take this to some extremes. ![]() So we can presume that working files are the files we use to create our end product. When we are hired specifically to create a template, most people will charge differently than they would if they were producing something that wasn't designed for the client to use and edit. When a client requests a template, what they are buying is NOT the file, it's the ability to create work for themselves, quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively. If we sell something that is designed for a client to open, edit, save, rinse and repeat, this might be seen as a working file, but really this is a template.Ĭhances are, when we design a template the way we approach this is very different to our own working files, we may not even use the same software. But again what we can see here is that what we might call working files, really are removed from what the client actually comes to us for. This may sound like I am overextending the impact of the work that we do. With both something like a website and a brand, the deliverable is a small part of our process, but then also, the deliverable is small relative to the impact it can make on a business. Similar to the website example above, when a client hires us to create an identity for their brand, the finished deliverable is a small part of the large process that we go through with them. When we create a website, the amount of work it takes to get to the end deliverable (a working website) is far greater than the hours spent building the site itself. A business card and a business card template are not the same product. If the client was paying for a file they can easily update, what do we call that? A template. With our business card, our deliverable is either going to be a print-ready file or printed cards delivered to the client. Well technically, as service providers, what we actually sell is end result caused by a solution we offer to solve a problem. You already know this one right? When a client buys something from us, they are buying the deliverables, right? But it begs the question "what are we really selling"? Giving someone your working files does not mean they know how to do what you do. Now, you could argue that a recipe is the instructions, but working files are simply the ingredients. ![]() I'm sure you've seen some analogies around this, a classic one is "when you eat at a restaurant, you're not given the recipe" Pretty obvious stuff.īut why is this an issue? If the client paid us for the work, shouldn't they own it? What harm is there in giving it to them? The main reason is FEAR, yup, it stems from the worry of a loss of future income that could be missed when someone has the files to do the work themselves. Got that? Keep these in the back of your mind and let's keep going. Something like a branding or identity project, where your time is spent identifying the market, understanding things like positioning, tone of voice, messaging and then developing the ideas that relate to this. ![]() What we mean here is a project where the final deliverable is a small part of the project and the larger part of the project is your knowledge. Let's take a website with discovery, scope, design, development and delivery. What we mean here is a project that happens over phases with multiple moving parts and often different deliverables for each stage. What we mean here is a project that is nearly all production, something like a business card. Let's take 3 types of projects… A simple project: Now at first glance, these might sound simple but if we use a couple of examples we'll see how complicated this gets. 1) Why would you charge for working files?Ĥ) How much of this project are tangible deliverables? ![]()
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