My Journey from Director to Code: How 20 Years of Management Experience Transformed into formspace.design

My journey to creating formspace.design began long before I first tried writing code. All these years, managing various businesses, from developing software for simulators to landscape design, I encountered the same problems: fragmented data, the lack of a unified system for working with clients and projects, and the perpetual pain of assigning tasks to programmers. Ultimately, all the accumulated management experience finally transformed into the code I now write myself.

From First Business Plans to Assigning Tasks to Programmers

My career in management began in the challenging 90s when I became deputy director of Alkar Scientific and Production Company. Back then, we developed software for training methodologies, and even at that stage, I had to assign tasks to programmers for management accounting. This was my first experience interacting with the world of code, albeit from a client's perspective. I learned to articulate exactly what the business needed for an IT solution to bring real value. Later, as the director of Alkar-Invest, I developed investment programs and business plans myself, always keeping in mind the need for a systematic approach and automation.

This period taught me to view business as a system where every element must be interconnected. I understood that without clear accounting and control, even the most brilliant ideas would remain just ideas. Back then, there were no tools like today, and many processes had to be described on paper, then I tried to explain to programmers how it should work in the program. This required not only an understanding of business processes but also the ability to translate them into a language understandable to developers.

The Director's Pain Without Automation: Lessons from Dom i Sad

From 2000 to 2022, I managed my own company, Dom i Sad, which specialized in designing and building cottages, landscaping plots, and their subsequent maintenance. We worked with plots ranging from 6 to 20+ acres, and each project was unique. It was here that I fully experienced what it means to be a director without a single, properly functioning CRM system and integrated accounting. Information about clients, project stages, estimates, and material purchases was stored in various places: Excel spreadsheets, AutoCAD files, email, and even on paper.

This led to constant data loss, misunderstandings between departments, and, most importantly, a decrease in the quality of client service. For example, tracking the history of each plot and client without data loss was a real challenge. I often thought about how great it would be to have a tool that gathered everything in one place. We could simultaneously manage 10-15 active projects, and each required thorough attention at all stages – from the client's first call to project completion and subsequent maintenance. This pain from fragmented data became the main impetus for me to one day create my own product.

Rethinking the Approach: When Experience Replaces Technical Education

When I turned 61, I decided that I could no longer wait for the perfect solution from the market and had to create it myself. The irony is that I don't have a formal programming education. My background is in physical culture, enterprise economics, and, of course, many years of management experience. But it was precisely this experience that became my main advantage. I knew exactly what tool a landscape designer and property owner needed because I had been in their shoes.

I started learning programming with the help of artificial intelligence. It was like going back to school, but with one difference: I had a clear request and an understanding of what I wanted to achieve. AI became my mentor and assistant, allowing me to translate management tasks into code, bypassing many traditional barriers. I talked about this in more detail in the article What it means to be a reluctant CTO at 61.

Principles Embedded in formspace.design's Code

All the management principles I learned over decades formed the foundation of formspace.design. This is not just a visualization tool; it's a system created with real business and client needs in mind. I aimed for formspace.design to help:

• Structure information: so that all project and client data is in one place.
• Visualize ideas: so that clients can quickly see the future landscape and make adjustments.
• Optimize processes: so that every step – from concept to estimate – is logical and efficient.
• Support communication: so that the history of client interactions is always at hand.

My goal was to create not just a set of functions, but a holistic approach that would allow landscape design professionals to work more productively, and their clients to get the desired result faster. For example, the ability to quickly generate multiple design concepts reduces the time for initial iterations from several days to just a few hours, significantly speeding up the decision-making process.

From Idea to First Prototype: The Role of AI

Artificial intelligence played a key role in bringing my idea of formspace.design to life. Without AI, this path would have been significantly more difficult, and perhaps even inaccessible for someone with my experience but without deep programming skills. AI helped me in creating the product architecture, writing individual modules, and even debugging the code. It became a bridge between my management vision and technical implementation.

I used AI not as a replacement for my own thinking, but as a powerful tool to scale my abilities. It allowed me to focus on logic and functionality, while routine coding tasks were completed faster. This symbiosis of experience and technology is what drives formspace.design forward. You can read more about how I integrate AI into my workday here: My Workday: Where AI Fits In, and Where It's Just Personal Experience.

How to Plan in formspace.design with Management Experience in Mind

In formspace.design, I embodied my many years of experience in project management and client relations to offer users not just a drawing tool, but a comprehensive solution for landscape planning. Imagine that you, like I once did, faced the task of visualizing a project for a client, but want to avoid data chaos and ensure transparency at all stages. First, you can upload a photo of the plot to the 3.1 'Design from Photo' module to get a realistic basis for your work.

Then, using the 2.1 'AI Concept' module, you can generate several design options based on your wishes and the plot's features. This will significantly reduce the time spent on initial idea generation. Next, in the 1.x modules (planning, zones, objects), you can meticulously develop the project: mark functional zones, add specific objects (gazebos, paths, plants), and even plan lighting. This entire process is structured so that each step is logical, and data is easily accessible and updatable. This allows not only for creating beautiful projects but also for effectively managing them, controlling deadlines and budgets, and avoiding the mistakes that cost me nerves and time at Dom i Sad.

FAQ

Is it difficult for a non-programmer to create such a product?

Undoubtedly, it's a challenge requiring immense self-discipline and a willingness to continuously learn. However, my experience shows that deep subject matter expertise and a clear vision of the final product can compensate for the lack of formal technical education. The main thing is to understand what problem you want to solve and for whom, and modern tools like AI significantly ease the technical side.

How does management experience help in software development?

Management experience is invaluable because it provides a deep understanding of the target audience's needs and business processes. I know what data is important, what reports are needed, and what functions will truly be useful in daily work. This allows me to create a product that solves real problems, rather than just adding beautiful but useless features. I build formspace.design the way I would have wanted to use it in my past practice.

What past mistakes did you consider when creating formspace.design?

The main mistake was fragmented information. In the past, data about clients, projects, estimates, and communications were scattered across different files and programs, leading to losses and confusion. formspace.design is being created as a unified platform where all history for each plot and client is stored centrally, ensuring transparency and easy access to information.

Can formspace.design be used for project management?

While formspace.design is primarily focused on landscape planning and visualization, it indirectly contributes to improved project management. The integrated storage of all design stages, client communications, and estimated documentation within a single project significantly simplifies coordination. This allows designers and their teams to more effectively track progress and control the course of work.

How important is having an 'artist's eye' in landscape design and development?

For landscape design, an 'artist's eye' is critically important, as it allows for the creation of harmonious and aesthetically pleasing spaces. In product development, this manifests in creating an intuitive interface and a logical user experience. The combination of artistic vision and managerial logic helps make formspace.design not only functional but also pleasant to use.

How does formspace.design help in seasonal business?

Seasonality is a big problem for the landscape business, but formspace.design helps smooth it out by allowing continuous interaction with clients regardless of the time of year. You can plan projects in advance, show clients visualizations in winter and spring, thereby ensuring workload for peak months. This also allows for more effective management of the client base and planning future campaigns.

What was the most challenging part of transitioning from management to coding?

The most challenging part was not even the process of learning code itself, but the mental shift from the role of a manager who delegates tasks to the role of a creator who implements them. This required complete immersion in details, a restructuring of thinking, and developing patience for inevitable coding errors. However, the realization that I am building a tool that will solve problems accumulated over decades provided and continues to provide immense motivation.

My journey from director to formspace.design developer is proof that experience accumulated over decades in management can become a powerful driving force for innovation. I believe my story will inspire those facing similar challenges. I invite you to join the formspace.design community and see how years of experience can be embodied in a modern, functional tool.