

YC startups seeking designers for Feb 2011 designer directory - garry
https://ycdesign.wufoo.com/forms/y-combinator-designer-directory/

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aepstein
If there's one thing that YC companies are always looking for, it's a
designer.

If you're a designer, this is a pretty sweet opportunity to work with, or even
join, a YC co.

~~~
rdouble
In my experience you can get paid more (cash & equity) as a mediocre ruby
programmer vs. a great designer.

Do designers get compensated better now that they are so important and scarce?

~~~
hajrice
DISCLAIMER: I'm a both UI Designer and rubyist

I remember when I would ask for $50/hour for design work, people would without
hesitation go for it, some startups even asked why I charge so low....eh, I
didn't know better. While I don't have much experience with rails consulting,
from what I've heard, people who can do both rails and ui design can EASILY go
for $100/hour. Then again, I have a friend who just landed an ~$80/hour work
doing some simple joomla/php work. To be honest, it sorta made more sense to
me(even though I'm both a designer and rubyist) that designers made more. My
belief is that it's more common for designers to be much more unique than a
rubyist.

What do I mean? My theory is that it's easier to become another kick-ass
designer who has a lot of people digging his work than it is to become a
"popular" rubyist(I'd consider the guy who created will_paginate to be popular
in the ruby world).

Am I the only one thinking in this way? ... it might sound a little ridiculous
to some people. :)

~~~
spitfire
If you're skilled at solving a customers problem, $100/hr is far underselling
yourself. For a skilled (very rare) designer who can solve a customers problem
$300-500/hr is perfectly acceptable.

Mind you the vast majority of "designers" out there are artistés designing
whatever trendy bubblegum is fashionable this minute rather than solve a
customers real problems.

~~~
ncbutters
Im sorry...but I, being a designer who has done both consulting and full-time
work and 'likes to think' he tries to solve the customer's problem first and
foremost, find this rate of $300-500/hr extremely high. Has anyone else heard
of numbers like this being made, be that full-time or consulting?

~~~
spitfire
move upmarket. A small dotcom may now be able to pay $300/hr but when you're
setting up an independently regulated financial utopia (See the independent
finance centre of the americas) a few shekels for design is nothing.

I have no doubt sites like national geographics website cost over a million.
Just like a good iphone app costs $200K+ good design costs, and is exceedingly
rare.

example: winkreative

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newman314
Will the results/directory be made generally available?

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vpdn
I'm a iOS developer with a UX fetish. I'm not directly interested in regular
contracting work, however I'm thinking of attending Google I/O and WWDC this
year (may-june) and would love to experience a YC startup from the inside. My
startup history consists of creating a sms compression app for "dumbphone"
devices back in j2me times (german news:<http://goo.gl/fEkdr>,
<http://goo.gl/PmgIc>) and a lingerie business in Malaysia
(<http://d.pr/nF3a>). In both, I did all the graphics & UI work. You can find
my portfolio at <http://mocava.de>

If anyone would be interested in sponsoring my trip, I'd be happy to work for
free for my time of stay.

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richcollins
Ah I was hoping it was a new startup doing some sort of designer browser. I
could use something that made it easy to browse portfolios using design style
as a filter (and some sort of "more like this")

~~~
alabut
I think Dribbble and Forrst have become defacto versions of that.

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Julianhearn
A designer directory, is that not a little old hat for a progressive company
like YC?

I thought with the demise of dmoz et al, directories were proven to be an
promblematic way to find and sort things.

I'm not saying dribbble.com is the answer to your issue but considering
thousands of designers already use it, you can see their work, and there is
some elements of social proof (likes, views and comments) it should be a
better way to find designers rather than starting from scratch with a new
directory.

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starterup
Nice! Is there a form for developers to apply?

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rudasn
I'm confused about the HTML, CSS, JavaScript part. Are those supposed to be
complementary skills to a designer (in this form)? What about someone who's a
bit better at those skills rather than the actual design?

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kilian
I wonder why this doesn't ask for your HN account name. Nevertheless, filled
this in. I'm available as ID/front-end dev on contract basis :)

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phlux
As a not-designer, what tools are you using to do iOS/Android APP UI design?

Forgive my ignorance - but is it photoshop skinning?

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jhrobert
Let's face it, designers are helpers. That's why YC wants to provide them to
the startup they believe in. Sometimes there are diamonds hidden behind poor
graphic designs. They know that.

The bad news is that it is not exactly "cheap".

Question: is there such a thing as a "no distraction design", ie a graphic
design that exposes the true value of the technology, ie a design that is the
contrary of a great makeup on an ugly face?

Such a thing would help figure out what deserves attention, from a
technological point of view.

Another benefit, given that developers are sometimes poor at graphic design,
it would also "remove" some ugly makeup from nice looking face...

"Here is my secret. It is very simple: one sees well only with the heart. The
essential is invisible to the eyes." -- Antoine de Saint Exupéry

~~~
rudasn
"The essential is invisible to the eyes."

This applies for design as well. I think you should read a little more about
what design is before you go around saying a designer is a pair of hands who
knows photoshop.

