Should I bring this up with my client?

[Calydon]

For a few years I have been helping out with the technical side of developing websites for a client who runs their own Design & Communications company.

They have a couple of employees, including someone who does the main design work for the websites that I help build. This person also usually does the HTML and the basic skeleton of a site before I go in and handle the SEO, the code validation, the scripting and whatever else is required.

Everyone at this company is paid hourly for the work they do, and so this designer wants to do as much of the HTML/CSS themselves to boost their hours. However, I inevitably end up going in and changing most if not all, their work (including the CSS) because they have a poor understanding of content separation, and basic SEO practices.

This seems like a waste of time, and although I benefit (by having more hours to bill) and the designer benefits (same reason) the owner of the company must then charge her customers more.

Should I bring this up or let it be? I also work closely with this designer, and if I bring it up, and the owner brings it up with the designer, I risk making my working life more difficult. I'm interested in what you think, from a business and from an ethical point of view.

[dc dalton]

Well the owner is the boss and if you are bringing this to him in a way that shows him he will save money and time I see nothing wrong with it ... you just have to be tactful in how you do it.

[mobyme]

No business owner is not going to thank you if you can show them how to save money.
It should not really affect the designer in the long run because his company should be more competitive which will enable it to win more business thus giving the designer more hours doing what he should be doing. Sounds like a winning formula to me.

[Sagewing]

Like the others said, you should probably mention it. But remember to do it in a way that will be helpful to the client, and ideally in a way that doesn't reflect poorly upon the other developer.

Most importantly, say it ONCE then move on.

[asweb]

Yes, inform the owner, no other option.