The Moment I Built the First formspace.design Module Myself

For me, as someone who led a landscape design business for decades and is now independently developing an IT product, the moment I created the first working formspace.design module was a turning point. It wasn't just a technical achievement, but a confirmation that perseverance, domain expertise, and the capabilities of artificial intelligence can open new horizons, even at 61, without a team of developers.

My Pain and the Path to Automation

My experience in the landscape business, especially at 'Dom i Sad' (House and Garden), showed me a critical need for process systematization and automation. I saw how much time and resources were spent on routine tasks, approvals, and recalculations that could be optimized. In the 90s, working at NPF 'Alkar', I was already assigning tasks to programmers for management accounting, but that was a completely different world. Each request required detailed technical specifications, long waits, and significant financial investment. It was a world where 'having money' didn't always mean 'the business is profitable,' as I wrote in the article "The Difference Between 'Having Money' and 'A Profitable Business': A Lesson from the 90s".

I keenly felt that without a full-fledged CRM and analytics, we were losing clients and missing opportunities. The lack of a unified system cost me considerable money and nerves. At some point, I realized I needed a tool created by someone who deeply understood the specifics of landscape design, not just an abstract programmer who merely implemented technical specifications. This very pain became the driving force behind formspace.design.

The Decision to Start Coding with AI at 61

In 2022, facing new challenges, I found myself at a crossroads: either accept the cessation of active work or find a new path. I was 61, and I decided it was time to master what seemed inaccessible – programming. I wasn't a programmer by education; my background was in sports, economics, business consulting, landscape design, and painting. But I knew I had domain expertise and a strong desire to create what I myself lacked. That's when I started exploring the possibilities of artificial intelligence in development.

It was a real challenge. Every day I delved into new concepts, syntax, and logic. AI became my primary assistant, a kind of 'junior developer' that generated code based on my requests, explained errors, and suggested solutions. Of course, this required me to have a deep understanding of what I wanted to achieve and the ability to formulate tasks correctly, but it proved to be much faster and more efficient than the traditional path with a team of programmers.

The Thorny Path and the First Breakthrough

The first steps were slow and full of errors. I spent hours studying documentation, debugging code that AI might not have generated perfectly. It was a process of trial and error, but I didn't give up. My goal was clear: to create a tool that would help landscape designers and property owners effectively plan and manage projects.

I started with fundamental things: how to process data, how to create interactive elements, how to save information. My first 'victories' were tiny – a working button, saving entered data, displaying simple graphics. But each such success gave me the energy to move forward. I understood that even the most complex product consists of many simple, but correctly functioning modules.

That Moment: The First Working Module

I remember that day very well. It was a module for plot zoning – one of the key elements in landscape planning. My idea was for the user to be able to upload a plan or photo of their plot (e.g., 10-15 ares), and then easily and intuitively mark functional zones on it: a recreation area, a vegetable garden, a children's playground, decorative plantings. I wanted the system to automatically account for the area of these zones and suggest basic layouts.

I wrote the logic, used AI to generate code snippets, debugged it, and checked how it interacted with the interface. And then, after several days of intense work, when I clicked the 'Save' button after marking up a test plot, and all the zones correctly displayed on the map, saved to the database, and allowed their parameters to be changed – I felt a true surge of satisfaction. It wasn't just 'working code'; it was my code, my idea, brought to life by my hands. A module that would have previously taken weeks for a team to develop was ready for testing. This was the first brick in the foundation of formspace.design, assembled by me personally.

How This Changed the Approach to formspace.design

This experience strengthened my belief that formspace.design should be as intuitive and useful as possible. I am creating the product not as an abstract programmer, but as a practitioner who has personally gone through all stages of landscape design and business management. Every module, every interface, I filter through the prism of my 20 years of experience at 'Dom i Sad' and teaching landscape designers.

My goal is for formspace.design to become an indispensable tool for everyone involved in landscape design, regardless of their technical background. I strive to embed logic into the product that helps avoid typical mistakes, such as those I wrote about in the article "The Mistake I Almost Introduced into CRM by Relying Solely on AI". I want formspace.design to help save time, optimize processes, and unleash creative potential, rather than creating new complexities.

How to Plan in formspace.design

My experience in independent development allows me to create formspace.design with a deep understanding of user needs. For example, to plan plot zoning, you don't need to be an expert in CAD systems or programming. You can start with module 2.1 'AI Concept'. Simply upload a photo or diagram of your plot, and our AI will suggest various functional zoning options based on your preferences and the characteristics of the area. You'll get initial sketches and ideas in minutes.

After that, you move to module 1.x 'Plan/Zones/Objects', where you can refine the AI-suggested concepts. You can easily change zone sizes, move them, add various objects such as paths, ponds, gazebos, and plants. This allows you to visualize the project before construction begins, assess proportions, the width of passages (e.g., at least 120 cm is required for comfortable passage with a wheelbarrow), and the heights of elements, as well as ensure that all elements harmonize with each other. Thus, formspace.design becomes your personal assistant in creating the ideal landscape.

FAQ

Can AI truly replace a developer?

AI doesn't completely replace a developer, but it significantly expands the capabilities of individuals without deep programming skills. For me, AI has become a powerful tool that automates routine tasks, generates code, and assists in debugging, allowing me to focus on product architecture and user experience. It's more of a partnership than a replacement.

What was the most challenging stage in learning to program?

The most challenging part was overcoming the initial fear of the unknown and mastering basic concepts that were entirely new to me, a humanities person at heart. There were moments when it felt like nothing was working, and I spent hours searching for an error in just a couple of lines of code. But each time I found a solution, and that gave me the strength to move forward.

How did my past business experience help in developing formspace.design?

My many years of experience as a manager and business consultant gave me a deep understanding of the target audience's needs – landscape designers and property owners. I know what problems they solve and what functions are critically important to them. This allows me to create a product that doesn't just work, but solves real problems and provides practical benefits, rather than being a collection of random features.

What if I don't have a technical background but want to automate processes?

I believe that the main thing is desire and domain expertise. If you deeply understand your field, AI can become your guide to the world of automation. Start with simple tasks, use no-code/low-code tools, and then gradually master more complex approaches with the help of AI. The key is not to be afraid to experiment and learn.

How long did it take to build the first working module?

After several months of learning programming fundamentals and working with AI, creating the first working zoning module – one that could process input data, display zones, and save them – took about a week of intensive work. This included not only writing code but also testing, debugging, and refining the interface. Without AI, it would have taken much longer.

What were the first functions I implemented myself?

The first functions were basic data operations: entering and saving project information, uploading images, and primitive rendering of graphical elements on a canvas. Then I moved on to more complex tasks, such as interactively changing the size and shape of objects, and moving them around the plan. These basic elements became the foundation for all subsequent modules.

Why did I decide not to hire a team right away?

I wanted to prove to myself and others that it's possible to create a full-fledged product with just an idea, expertise, and modern tools. Hiring a team involves significant costs and management complexities, especially in the early stages. Independent development with AI allowed me to quickly and flexibly test hypotheses, make immediate changes, and maintain full control over the product's vision, which is very important to me.

The moment I saw the first formspace.design module come to life in my hands was incredibly inspiring. It confirmed that age is no barrier to learning new things, and AI is not magic, but a powerful tool accessible to everyone. This was just the first step on a long journey, but it laid the foundation for everything that will follow in formspace.design. I invite you to join this journey and try our tool to make your landscape design simpler and more effective.