Website credit issues

[kobo]

Hi all,

I am in a bit of a pickle and would love some suggestions / advice of what I should do. I am a designer and web programmer. One of my clients is a graphic designer who has parsed a few sites to me before. He gives me the design and I make it work on the web.

The latest design he sent through was in poor format, unbalanced and to be honest - terrible. I had a meeting with the client who is ordering the site along with the designer and knew exactly what they were after. I ended up using the designer's concept, but making it look good which needed to be done from scratch. I didn't mind because it adds to my portfolio as well. The client also loves it.

The problem comes as I have left the credentials out of the footer. The design he sent through had "designed by: his company, programmed by: kobo." I left it out as it is not his design, but it is also not mine completely as it is his concept if you know what I mean. He wants that - he says it is one of the most important things but I feel it isn't just, yet I don't want to let him down.

Any suggestions because I don't know what is the right thing to do here.

Thanks in advance,

Joe

[KarenC]

Hi Joe, what about 'Concept by ...', 'Designed & maintained by Kobo'
or, 'Website by Kobo' - much simpler without saying either of you did it.

It's complicated ... however, whenever I have been asked to do a design concept for a web programmer to convert I don't expect my name on it. But I would if the artwork was straight out illustration.

[LAV]

I think whichever company made the sale or commissioned the job should get the credit. My business is making signs. If I pay a metal fabricater to do a welding or fabrication job and he needs to alter my design to make it work I dont feel that he needs credit (eg a badge on it) for it after all Im paying him not the client. In fact I would be upset if he put his badge on it. I would also expect that he talks to me before he makes any changes

Did you get paid extra for altering the design? If not I would certainly look at charging extra next time.

[kobo]

Thank you Karen and Lav,

Good points. Normally I would not put credits on it at all, but the designer wants the credits on there for both of us. Although the job was fed to me, it was also done at a much cheaper rate due to the client's budget.

I am more than happy to give full credits to the designer if it was purely contracted out by him to me, but the client pays me directly and I just don't think it is fair that the designer gets credit for my work. I also would like to use it in my portfolio because it is the type of website that I am trying to target now.

I will try and put forward to either have a link "website by Designer Name & Kobo" or "website by: designer name."

I know it is not a big issue and I should just let it fly, but it has happened to me before and they ended up with a really huge project - that guy even thanked me for fixing his design so he got the project!

Thanks again,

Joe

[Renee Barber]

Hi Joe

This is a tricky one ... I never thought I was precious about who gets the credit until the situation happened ...

Anyway, with most webbies, the folio is our lifeblood so as long as you can use the site in your folio, I think you shouldn't get too bent out of shape. Do give credit where credit was due since the concept was the other designer's province, but also make sure you get your share too.

You might also want to really look at what you're charging as sometimes getting paid more can go a long way to salving hurt feelings. Designers can be a sensitive bunch, but as the saying goes, 'money talks'. :-)