After conducting a reflexive thematic analysis, we identified 6 distinct design tensions. I present only a small subset of these findings in this case study.
Freelancers' needs in relationships with clients
ESTABLISHING MUTUAL DESK EXPECTATIONS
CHALLENGE: We discovered that freelancers feel unempowered to ask clients about task expectations. Freelancers often encounter challenges when clients do not clearly define the tasks required in the jobs they post on freelance platforms. This lack of clear communication can result in unexpected or unpaid work and can cause conflict between the freelancer and the client.
As a result, freelancers may feel pressured to take on tasks that do not match their skill sets. Inadequate task expectation setting also risks their contracts becoming a product that does not meet the clients’ expectations.
'Oftentimes the job description will be in the general sense and it will balloon into more tasks, or will include unrelated tasks once hired.'
- Kim
DESIGN OUTPUT: Together with freelancers, we co-created alternative designs to help freelancers establish mutual expectations about job tasks with clients. The design keeps freelancer questions and client answers right over the job posting description in a Google Docs style commenting format. The inquiries are visible to all other freelancers who can also upvote each other's questions to emphasize priority to clients.
This design approach was based on 2 primary inputs from our freelancers:
- Freelancers expressed that they needed a lower barrier to inquiries. They are concerned about asking questions about the job one-on-one to clients as they don't want to annoy them. Hence moving the conversation to a public forum can make them feel supported by their peers and also allow them to share task information with each other
- Freelancers reported that they were concerned about whether clients would respond to their questions. By moving the stage of inquiry to a public forum, this holds clients accountable for answering questions and allows them to get an indicator of how they may treat their freelancers during contracts
DESIGN TENSION #1: Upon reflection, freelancers indicated that the design would help novices but then make experts lose the advantage of using inquiries as way to signal their expertise. Novice freelancers reflected that the design would allow the emotional burden of communicating to be offloaded and shared between peers. But on the other hand, experienced freelancers reported that they often use one-on-one inquiries as a way for them to show their experience, knowledge, and skill level - hence, encourage all freelancers to access the clients' response can make their inquiries and proposal less unique.
'Most freelancers send a very generic proposal. So in the cover letter if you ask something very specific to the project, they tend to respond to you, so that is how you can show your skill set to them. [This design], it kind of removes my advantage.'
- Paz
DESIGN TENSION #2: Freelancers feared that this design could potentially overburden clients by adding to their workload and disrupting their workflow. They appreciated the design intent for helping them gain more clarity towards job terms, but doubted that clients would engage with inquiries as it might disrupt their hiring timelines.
'I actually love this question-asking feature as a freelancer, but would clients actually bother to answer them? Yeah, for those ones that are very serious and looking or someone, you know, maybe for long term or a top-quality service they would. But I think 70% at least in my field, they [clients] just want the work done.'
- Uriel
Approaches for handling design tensions
Balancing the needs of freelancers for client input with client's workload
The most prevalent source of design tensions in our study was the impact that suggested designs would have on clients’ workloads. Although freelancers recognized the value of client input and feedback for their success and well-being, they also had realistic expectations about the level of engagement clients would offer.
As such, we suggest that there needs to be a balancing point between freelancers and client's workloads. When deciding on the appropriate level of client workload, it seems that what matters is whether the client has enough incentive to act on the work, rather than the absolute amount of work. Platforms need to introduce new incentive structures for clients to give their input and be conducive to the success of freelancers.
