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The Workplace Stack Exchange site would be a suitable site to post such a question, but I feel whom better to ask such a question than other graphic designers.

I'm sure most of us have had to deal with co workers or clients that are keen to alter your design and question your ability to design as well. It would seem that our industry is more prone to interference and interrogation, when the same people wouldn't dream of telling those other professions how to do their job.

I've had a few scenarios recently where I've been tempted to seek advice here on how to deal with it and stand my ground, but would seem off topic. What are your thoughts on this?

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    There's a tag 'client-relations' I created a while ago that can be used for a lot of questions like this. My intention was that it should cover in-house designers' bosses and stakeholders as well as a freelancer's clients.
    – user56reinstatemonica8
    Oct 15, 2012 at 15:54
  • The best way to test this, honestly, is to ask. If the larger community dislikes them, we'll see downvotes and close votes. :)
    – Aarthi
    Oct 15, 2012 at 17:05

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There are overlaps, of course, but I think workplace questions specifically related to the kinds of challenges designers face are valid. They are part of the practicalities of design work, or design practice, in the case of freelance designers.

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The way we approach work and career related questions on Programmers is:

  • If the question is unique to our profession and can be expertly answered by software developers, it's on topic,
  • If not, then The Workplace is a better site for it.

Sometimes you might think that you'd get better answers from people in the same profession, but if your question isn't really unique to graphic design (i.e. it's a problem common to other professions as well) you may benefit immensely by getting answers from different perspectives.

For example you mention that it's common to have to deal with co-workers or clients that are keen to alter your design and question your ability to design. Well, graphic designers are not the only professionals who have to deal with such issues, they are common enough in our profession too. Who knows, if we join forces (on The Workplace), we might find a solution for both fields.

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  • Also a very good answer but I might argue with what you say. This is down to myself who 'used to' be a designer but now a developer and it is bliss in comparison when it comes to critique, maybe so much so that I have to be harsh on my own work. When it comes to design, EVERYONE had an opinion whereas trying to get some of input or thought on the development work, the same folk would run away with a sentiment along the lines of "Woah! that's way too technical for me". Funny, because I've only invested a fraction of my time in development compared to design and I get more job requests for it.
    – Adam Elsodaney
    Oct 30, 2012 at 23:42
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I think you should ask, "Would this question be one that I'd bring up with HR or an Attorney or would this question be one I'd discuss with my design team?"

If its best to refer to HR or an Attorney then Workplace is probably the better option.

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