The need is still great for professional design bodies

Readers who persevered with Tim Rich’s anti-professionalism critique Power to the people (Private View, DW 7 April) may have wondered why it was necessary to attack the Chartered Society of Designers for upholding moral standards (especially if they are CSD life fellows shortly to be made lapsed fellows for refusing to re-subscribe).

Rich’s suggestion that clients which expect excellent design for free are unlikely to be the best ones to work for seems to support the CSD’s stand against free-pitching rather admirably.

And what ‘excellent young creative thinker’ would want to work for a studio so moribund that it urgently needed his/ her talent to ‘keep it alive’? Also, for what other reason than wanting to do it on the cheap is creative excellence associated with youth – especially in job advertisements? Is expecting ‘cheap’ pitching that much more attractive than wanting free-pitching?

As for there being ‘no need for a professional organisation’ in today’s world, I’d say that current attitudes and practices indicate the need has never been greater. This being the case, the CSD certainly has a continuing role, so the sooner its current difficulties are resolved the better.

Robert Geary

Sidcup

Kent DA14 6BA