QSDC - Fees and Costs

Assigning a Quality Score for Design Competitions - Publishing and Award Ceremony

Abstract: Fees and Costs definetely effect the quality of design competitions, it might be rather unexpected however setting-up a fee usually increases the quality of entries, especially because it creates a barrier to entry for amateurs and limits the number of submissions to be reviewed by the jury. On the other hand it could usually happen that the fees are communicated at the end of the design competition, which is against the main idea of setting-up an entrence fee and actually is aimed at somehow making profit out of the event.

Calculation of fees and costs score depends on the transparency of the organizer, if the organizer clearly states that there are fees or costs ahead then the score will be high. This also applies to costs such as the gala night or dinner, physical exhibition fee, pr fees, publishing fees, yearbook fees, and any other payments due for participants. Please note that winners' obligations and due payments are discussed in another article.

Fees and Costs score is calculated with the following criteria: Entrence fees, Costs of Gala / Celebration night or dinner, public relations and pr-campaign fees, physical or virtual exhibition fees, yearbook fee, publishing fee, transportation and set-up fees, and any other fees plus if the competition sends out an invoice for such fees.

Please note that for fees and costs score, we do not consider other details such as due fees for winners etc. as they are discussed in separate sections.

Collected Information: Fees and Costs

Fees and Costs Score Sheet:

1. Entrance Fees
1. Free to join for all, Score++50
   If the design competition is free to join for all (does not require any entrence fee payments), it is considered greately positive, and indeed making a competition free to join is the industry practice for companies who aim to collect ideas and designs.
2. Free to join for members, Score++5
   If a competition is free to join only for members of an organization, club etc, it is considered similar to a paid competition.
3. Paid competition, Score++
   This is the best-practice for design competition service provider companies, in addition indicating in advance that the competition is a paid one is considered positive, furthermore some organizers might have a very cheap entrence fee as a bareer to stop unrelated or weak entries from spending jury's time.
4. Entrance Fees
1. Early Registration Fee, Score++
   Giving this information in advance is considered positive.
2. Standard Registration Fee, Score++
   Giving this information in advance is considered positive.
3. Late Registration Fee, Score++
   Giving this information in advance is considered positive.
2. Gala / Celebration Night Fee, Score++
   Giving this information in advance is considered positive.
3. Physical Exhibition Fee, Score++
   Giving this information in advance is considered positive.
4. Public Relations and Pr Campaign Fee, Score++
   Giving this information in advance is considered positive.
5. Transportation and Set-up Fee, Score++
   Giving this information in advance is considered positive.
6. Publishing Fee, Score++
   Giving this information in advance is considered positive.
7. Yearbook Fee, Score++
   Giving this information in advance is considered positive.
8. Does the Competition Sends and Invoice
   1. No, the competition does not send an invoice, Score++
      Giving this information in advance is considered positive.
   2. No, the competition is free, therefore will not send an invoice., Score++5
      Giving this information in advance is considered positive.
   3. Yes, the competition will send an invoice to everyone., Score++5
      Giving this information in advance is considered positive.
   4. Yes, the competition will send an invoice but only on demand, Score++2
      Giving this information in advance is considered positive.
9. Other Fees and Payments URL, Score++
   By providing a link to fees and payments, the organizer can keep the participants updated and also additional fees could be explained, giving this information in advance is considered positive as it increases the transparency of the event.

Maximum Possible Score (64) is achieved with a competition with the following configuration:

Fees and Costs Score Sheet:

1. Entrance Fees
1. Free to join for all, Score++50
   
2. Entrance Fees (Even if free, indicated as zero)
1. Early Registration Fee, Score++
   
2. Standard Registration Fee, Score++
   
3. Late Registration Fee, Score++
   
2. Gala / Celebration Night Fee, Score++
   
3. Physical Exhibition Fee, Score++
   
4. Public Relations and Pr Campaign Fee, Score++
   
5. Transportation and Set-up Fee, Score++
   
6. Publishing Fee, Score++
   
7. Yearbook Fee, Score++
   
8. Does the Competition Sends and Invoice
   1. No, the competition is free, therefore will not send an invoice., Score++5
      
   2. Or Yes, the competition will send an invoice to everyone., Score++5
      
9. Other Fees and Payments URL, Score++

Short Notes: Please note that ++ means to increase by one (1), and -- means to decrease by one (1), so score ++ means, score will increase by one (1). Score ++n means to increase score by n (n) points; Score ++3 means to increase score 3 points. Score // means does not affect score.

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• Assigning a Quality Score for Design Competitions - What are the core qualities that makes a design competition good, fair and effective. (Theory)