I know there have been many stories about how rough it is being an in-house web or graphic designer for a huge firm. How much politicking you get involved in and the constant question you ask yourself “Hey, I thought I signed up for web / graphic designing?” … This post is not one of them.

Well, yes of course there are the difficult times everyone has to get through. But talking from the perspective of a freelance web designer - who went through his fair share of droughts - there are also those bright and sunny sides that get shoved to the back. It’s those inspiring times where you say “Hey, this ain’t as bad as everyone keeps telling me…”

Too many cooks ain’t always bad

In huge companies you also get to talk to people (aside from the Art Lead) who directly affect your work but don’t necessarily have to be web or graphic designers. For example the marketing and sales people, programmers or information architects who you usually pass on your mocks to for inspections and quality assurances. They often see layouts and designs in a different light or spot things you may have missed out since you were busy getting lost in the thick of thins. It’s always interesting having things viewed from a different perspective. Eye opening? Probably. But you get to see things outside the view of being a designer for a change.

Of course you may or my not disagree with some suggestions but ultimately it could improve the product, which is the site, as well as broadening your sense of perspective and creative process as a designer just that little bit more.

“In-House != Creativity?” I don’t think so.

Depending on which big company you’d be working for you may have to adhere to certain in-house creative rules such as what logos and wordmarks to include, colour themes, where to place what, look & feel or other factors. Basically a hand few of things that possibly could dampen your creative process… Only if you want it to have that negative effect on you.

I believe the creative part is in the process of finding solutions, which means including all the needed elements combined with your personal touch, what ever that may be. Nothing is more satisfying when marrying solution with the project’s requirements and adding your personal touch to it. Everyone involved is going to be happy. Above all the good ol’ clients will be quite pleased, too when everything goes according to project reqs.

Some may say…

Starting out in “the web design game”, I constantly read sad and depressed folks in huge design companys and how they’d rather work for places like kioken (at the time) or ad agencies, all of which put me into the wrong mindset of believing corporate is evil and long live the freedom of creativity. Approximately four years ago, after a few droughts and more education on how money works in the real world, did I give a corporate design gig a try for the first time.

Hell yeah it was difficult to start with, but which job isn’t? The constant pressure forced me to think and design differently and the high paced environment help me find the quickest and best solutions to problems. Those newly found experiences follow me around to this day.

Long story short

All I’m trying to say here is that corporate graphic and/or web designing can also be a great alternative to freelance or agency work and it doesn’t necessarily have to be the ugly step sister and last choice you’d have to resort to. There is also a wealth of knowledge to be found in that side of the industry.