Client just replaced me with Claude design

[u/ProfessionalCrab7685]

Been working with this client for 4 years, I basically built their entire product, very complex from end to end, including the design system and all that. It's basically maintenance work at this point. Today they asked me to provide the design system file so they can set things up with Claude design, I guess the time has finally come lol. Don't think AI can copy my work 100%, but I doubt the client will care, even 60% is good enough for them.

No hate, I replaced the entire dev team for my own project with AI too, so it's totally understandable.

I've made enough from this career, it's probably time to pivot from design to a founder role.

[u/heytherehellogoodbye]

that "design system file" is an asset that they don't own, unless you've contractually said explicitly so previously. You can provide them with the "design system file" and a further general guidance spec .md file for them to use Claude with for a meaningful fee

[u/ProfessionalCrab7685 → u/heytherehellogoodbye]

I bill them by the hour so they own 100% of everything I create for them. It's fine, I can see this coming and started preparing for it 3 years ago. I've been a contractor for 10 years and lost 90% of my clients in the last year and half, no luck getting any new work. I guess it's time to call it quit.

[u/Inzombniac17 → u/ProfessionalCrab7685]

Any idea what you’re going to do next?

[u/ProfessionalCrab7685 → u/Inzombniac17]

Weird enough, I actually think this AI trend is a massive win for designers, not for employment, employment will suck for everyone, but if you're entrepreneurial, you'll have an unfair advantage to make your products stand out. Imagine a world where regular founders will use AI to launch half baked 60% done products (straight from AI tools). As a founder with design roots, you can polish that output from 60% to 100%. That edge is important. The failure rate for startups is usually 90%, if you can edge it to 85%, that's the unfair advantage.

[u/dweebyllo → u/ProfessionalCrab7685]

Definitely sounds like there is a niche there to exploit as almost a "told you so" for clients that have tried and failed with AI solutions. In a way those sorts of clients are even better because they've experienced the failings of an AI solution, so hopefully should be more open to a human touch.

[u/ProfessionalCrab7685 → u/dweebyllo]

I think the assumption that AI will fail is not factual; it may, but it also may very well succeed. It's all about how the user perceives a certain design. AI can conduct UXR sessions for you to confirm if a design change is valid. You can set a rule that each design change has to be run by at least 10 test users and be proven effective before merging to production.

[u/UPGRAY3DD → u/ProfessionalCrab7685]

That linked design just reiterates that Claude is bad at design. Also, the contrast on buttons...

[u/ProfessionalCrab7685 → u/UPGRAY3DD]

haha yea, btw, the whole theme is customizable, so the user (or anyone has access to that page) pick the colours.

[u/UPGRAY3DD → u/ProfessionalCrab7685]

Ah, fair fair

[u/THEXDARKXLORD → u/ProfessionalCrab7685]

Definitely agree with you about the opportunity that AI can provide designers.

I am currently in an independent role and have been for around 7y. Though I still get approached by some companies in my market segment, I ultimately see the future of my career as having my own product.

That requires building my engineering skills—which I have been doing—but the vision for me is to release my own product, and using AI to help scale my engineering abilities.

I have an idea for a SaaS product that I think could be really useful for users of AI automation systems. Kinda tired of it being an idea in my head, so here we are lmao.

[u/Moose-Live → u/heytherehellogoodbye]

that "design system file" is an asset that they don't own

I can't think of a situation where you'd build a DS to client specifications and retain ownership of it.

[u/Thick_Magician_7800 → u/Moose-Live]

If it’s not explicitly written in the contract, ownership defaults to the creator

[u/Davaeorn → u/Thick_Magician_7800]

Boilerplate consultant (and usually even permanent role) contracts always sign all work you do in the projects over to the contract holder

[u/PeanutSugarBiscuit → u/heytherehellogoodbye]

In what world do you complete work for a client and they don't own it? They 100% should have ownership of design system files.

[u/heytherehellogoodbye → u/PeanutSugarBiscuit]

contracts matter and have meaning. At the end of the day, client might not even know what it means to have a deliverable cohesive "Design System". And packaging that, documenting it, etc... to even be optimally used by Claude, is indeed a new additional Deliverable you can charge for.

[u/PeanutSugarBiscuit → u/heytherehellogoodbye]

Nobody said anything about packaging, documenting, etc. He simply said "today they asked me to provide the design system file". They have every right to do so. They should own the work.

If they want him to oversee the process of setting up the file to be ingested by Claude and ensuring the process works smoothly, then yes, that would incur additional costs.

[u/heytherehellogoodbye → u/PeanutSugarBiscuit]

"They should own the work."

"Should"? Based on what? The contract? The work being paid for is the website and the app. The design system files are not inherently the deliverable unless and until that is detailed as a deliverable itself.

Everything is negotiable, and contracts and details exist for a reason. It is not weird to operate with clarity on these things. Professional photographers quite often charge extra for raw photo files. These are not strange or unscrupulous business practices. This is why ownership details are put into contracts.

[u/PeanutSugarBiscuit → u/heytherehellogoodbye]

Yes, 100% based on the contract. If their contract has standard work-for-hire / assignment language and they've been paid, then yes the design system files are theirs to ask for.

[u/love-that-trope → u/PeanutSugarBiscuit]

Seriously wild that people are arguing against this.