Why I No Longer Depend on Whether a Freelancer Replies to Me

Many executives and business owners face the same problems when working with freelancers: missed deadlines, disappearances, and poor-quality work. My business journey, which began in the 90s with the company "Alkar" and then "Dom i Sad," was full of such stories. But I found a way to break this vicious cycle and take control of development myself, even without a specialized IT education initially. Today, I am building formspace.design, fully controlling the process and not waiting for replies from external contractors.

My Path to Independence: From Pain to Solution

In the early 90s, when I was deputy director at NPF "Alkar" and then director of "Alkar-Invest," I constantly had to assign tasks to programmers. We developed software for training methodologies, managed accounting, and each time it was a quest. I had to not only explain what I wanted but also control every step, anticipate risks, and adapt to their schedule. This pain of dependence on external developers, their deadlines, and availability, accompanied me for many years, including in my company "Dom i Sad," where we built cottages and engaged in landscape design.

I remember how often I wished for a tool that wouldn't require constant involvement of third parties, where I could quickly make changes or test hypotheses myself. This dream remained relevant even when I was deeply immersed in landscape design and used complex CAD systems like AutoCAD and Revit. At 61, I realized I couldn't wait any longer and decided to master development myself, leveraging the capabilities of artificial intelligence. This became my solution to a problem that had plagued me for decades.

Typical Problems When Working with Freelancers

My experience working with freelancers, especially in the past, was very diverse, but some problems recurred repeatedly. Firstly, unpredictability. Tasks that should have been completed in a week could stretch for months due to silence or the sudden "disappearance" of the contractor. Secondly, communication barriers: often what seemed obvious to me in the technical specifications was perceived completely differently. This led to rework, additional costs, and wasted time. Thirdly, the quality of work – sometimes I had to accept a product that required refinement or simply did not meet the stated expectations.

Budget control was a particularly acute problem. It seemed we agreed on one amount, but due to endless edits and clarifications, it would grow by 1.5-2 times. For example, I remember a project where we spent almost twice as much on refining a CRM module as on its initial development, simply because the contractor constantly found "new" details that hadn't been accounted for. It was these lessons that led me to believe that for core systems, a different approach was needed. I discussed the cost of CRM development in more detail in the article How much would CRM module development cost 10 years ago and how much does it cost now.

Selection Criteria: When to Use a Freelancer, and When Not To

It cannot be said that freelancers are always bad. They are excellent for performing highly specialized or one-off tasks that do not affect the core of your business. For example, for creating illustrations, writing short texts, setting up advertising campaigns, or minor website edits. In such cases, when the task is clearly defined and the risks are low, a freelancer can be an effective and economical solution. The main thing is clear technical specifications and minimal dependence on their long-term presence.

However, when it comes to developing key modules, creating your own product, or systems that require a deep understanding of business processes and ongoing support, I am convinced that relying on freelancers is risky. The core of formspace.design, for example, cannot be outsourced to a random contractor because it requires not only technical expertise but also my personal vision, based on decades of experience in landscape design and project management. Here, full control, the ability for rapid iterative development, and deep immersion in every detail are crucial.

The Importance of Clear Technical Specifications and Control

Even if you decide to work with a freelancer, the quality of the result depends 80% on your technical specifications (TS). This is not just a list of functions, but a detailed description of what needs to be done, how it should work, what data will be used, and what result you expect. For example, when ordering a module for calculating areas in a landscape project, I would specify not just "calculate area," but "calculate area in m² for selected zones, considering slopes up to 15% and the possibility of excluding objects like buildings and water bodies." This minimizes misinterpretations.

Furthermore, phased control is important. Divide the work into small, measurable stages and pay for them as they are completed. For example, for a task that will take 40 hours, divide it into 4 stages of 10 hours with intermediate checks and demonstrations. This helps track progress, identify problems early, and avoid situations where you receive something you didn't want after paying for all the work. I use this approach myself, even when working on formspace.design, breaking tasks into small iterations.

Learning and Automation: My Way Out

My personal way out of this situation was the decision to master development myself. At 61, with vast experience in business, landscape design, and management, but without deep programming knowledge, I decided that modern tools and AI could be my guide. I started by studying the basics, and then moved on to practical development, using AI as a kind of "junior developer."

This changed everything. Now I can not only set tasks but also perform them myself, or at least understand how it's done and control the process at a much deeper level. AI helps me not only with code but also with writing blog texts, as I discussed in the article How AI helps me write texts for formspace.design while staying myself. This allows me to implement my ideas quickly, efficiently, and exactly as I envisioned them, without communication losses or waiting time. This is the true path to independence.

Advantages of Self-Development

The main advantage I gained by taking development into my own hands is complete control. I can make decisions instantly, test new features, and make changes promptly. This is especially important for a product like formspace.design, which is constantly evolving and adapting to user needs. There's no longer a need to explain every little detail, wait for a reply, or approve changes. If I see something that can be improved, I do it immediately.

The second aspect is speed and iterativity. I don't have to wait for a freelancer to become available or finish another project. I work on formspace.design at my own pace, which allows me to quickly go through "idea – implementation – testing" cycles. This significantly reduces the time to market for new features. And, of course, it's a long-term cost saving. Although the initial time investment in learning was significant, in the long run, I save tens, if not hundreds of thousands on developer services that could have worked on the project for a year or two.

How to Plan in formspace.design

My experience creating formspace.design directly reflects the product's philosophy: to give the user maximum control and independence in the landscape planning process. Instead of relying entirely on external designers in the initial stages, you can independently develop your idea, saving time and money.

Imagine you have a 10-acre plot and you want to understand how best to arrange recreation areas, a garden, and utility buildings. In formspace.design, you start with Module 1.x "Site Plan," where you can accurately mark boundaries, apply existing objects, and define desired zones (1.1 "Site Zones," 1.2 "Objects on Site"). Then, using Module 2.1 "AI Concept," you will receive various layout ideas generated by artificial intelligence that will take into account your preferences and site features. And finally, with Module 3.1 "Design from Photo," you can visualize these ideas on a real photo of your site, even before you start interacting with a landscape designer or contractor. This approach allows you to come to a specialist with a clear vision and understanding of what you want, significantly simplifying and reducing the cost of further work.

FAQ

Are freelancers always bad?

No, freelancers are not always bad. They can be very effective for performing clearly defined, one-off tasks that are not critical to the core business. For example, for layout of a landing page, creating a banner, or writing a single article. It is important to correctly assess the task and the risks associated with outsourcing it.

How to avoid a freelancer 'disappearing'?

To minimize the risk of a freelancer "disappearing," I recommend several approaches. Firstly, always work with an upfront payment for a small first stage, and then pay upon completion of each subsequent stage. Secondly, use platforms that provide transaction protection and contractor ratings. Thirdly, maintain constant communication and request regular reports on work done, even if it's just a short status message.

What constitutes good technical specifications (TS)?

Good technical specifications (TS) are a maximally detailed document that leaves no room for double interpretation. It should contain not only a list of functions but also a description of the work logic, expected results, examples (if it's design), technologies used, and acceptance criteria. The more detailed you describe it, the fewer questions and errors there will be during the work process.

Is it worth learning to code if I'm not an IT specialist?

My personal experience shows that yes, it is worth it if you have a clear goal and motivation. I am 61, and I started learning development to create formspace.design. Modern tools and AI significantly simplify this process. The main thing is discipline, subject matter expertise in your field, and a willingness to constantly learn. This opens up new horizons and gives incredible control over your ideas.

How much does AI help in development?

AI has become an indispensable assistant for me in development. It helps generate code snippets, fix errors, suggest architectural solutions, and even optimize algorithms. I use it as a kind of "junior developer" who is always ready to help and doesn't require payment. This significantly speeds up the process and allows me to focus on logic and functionality, rather than syntax. Without AI, my path would have been much more difficult and longer.

What tools help me manage projects?

Although the main principle of my work now is self-reliance, I use several tools to organize the process. These include simple task trackers for breaking down tasks into stages, version control systems for code, and, of course, various AI assistants. The main thing for me is minimalism and functionality, so that the tools help rather than complicate the work. I try to avoid overly complex systems, which often lead to failures, as I discussed in Why I am against overly complex systems: a lesson from implementation failures in the 2000s.

When should you still hire an external specialist?

You should hire an external specialist when the task requires unique, very deep expertise that you do not plan to master yourself, or when you simply do not have enough time to perform a large volume of routine work. For example, for a system security audit, complex server configuration, or large-scale testing requiring many hands. In such cases, a well-chosen specialist will save you time and resources.

My journey to independence from freelancers has shown me that with the right approach and modern tools, a lot can be achieved, even if you are over 60. The main thing is the desire to learn and apply new knowledge. Don't be afraid to take control of your projects. And if you want to start planning your plot, formspace.design is always ready to help you with this, providing tools for your independence and creativity.