Skip them, and you’re signing up for chaos—and a bigger bill.
The Problem
In my years working with founders—especially non-technical ones—I’ve seen a recurring pattern. Too many dive headfirst into building their app without pausing to consider:
- What they’re actually trying to create.
- How it should look.
- How it needs to function.
- How they plan to get it done.
I’ve lost track of how often a client has signed a deal, handed me platform credentials, and said, “Invoice me—let’s start now!”
No design.
No discussion.
Not even a rough idea.
The outcome?
Endless, expensive iterations—whether in code or NoCode tools—costing them money and me unnecessary effort.
Why Does It Happen?
Because "Planning and design slows down product development"
Founders, like developers, often fall into a trap.
Developers think testing or planning slows them down.
Founders, driven by urgency, believe “moving fast at any cost” trumps everything.
I get it—time feels like the enemy. But I don’t buy “at any cost.”
Everyone wants to win, but what not everyone understands is that speed is not the only variable to take into account in this competition.
Because "Planning and design makes product development more expensive"
The average founder’s mind works as follows.
Imagine each stage of product creation has a price tag:
- Planning: $300
- Design: $500
- Development: $900
To many founders, skipping planning and design looks like a win—saving $800.
But here’s what they miss: skipping those steps doesn’t eliminate the work—it just pushes it into development.
And that’s the most expensive stage, where iterations cost more in both time and money, as I mentioned earlier.
Last Words
There are plenty of ways to plan and design a digital product pipeline before development that don’t break the bank or drag out timelines.
When it comes to planning, a couple of focused meetings are usually enough to tie up loose ends and shift to design.
Trust me—it’s time well invested.
Regarding design, if cash is tight, you can whip up wireframes using tools like Frame0—yes, there’s life beyond Figma. With prebuilt components, it’s quick and gives you a clear picture of how your app will look and flow.
Then, lean on component libraries like Shadcn for React, or defaults in FlutterFlow or Bubble if you’re going NoCode, to handle aesthetics and specific functionality.
Here’s the thing: when I talk about planning and design, I’m not chasing “pretty.” I’m talking about nailing down a basic idea of your app’s structure and behavior.
Aesthetics? That can come later—or be delegated entirely.
The key is not to skip steps, even if you think you’re saving time or money—you’re not. You’re just setting your project up to fail.
That’s why I don’t take on founders who refuse to invest time in these stages. As a freelancer, I want your project to succeed—it’s a win for my portfolio.
Need help with planning, design, development, or even business strategy?
I’m your guy.
Let’s connect and talk about your project.