3 ms·

I've been in full control of the architecture, team makeup, feature design, most of the technology choice, and often the feature priority. I put my foot down on

I've been in full control of the architecture, team makeup, feature design, most of the technology choice, and often the feature priority. I put my foot down on clients that dictate how a feature is to be built and give them the 'why' talk. I've had enough control over all the projects I've ever worked on these last fifteen years I've worked hourly. I get your ideas about subcontracting, but I've always been treated higher than an employee and typically like a partner. The trick to this is to charge a ridiculously high rate. That instantly establishes the dynamic and relationship I want.

tptacek 3y ago
But you don't have a direct relationship with the actual buyers of your work, so you don't control your project structure, and the middleman business reselling your work presumably needs to be taking a cut. It's no wonder they treat you well, right?
- swader999 3y ago
  Well for the case right now, I'm building a multi tenant system. Some tenants want features that no others want and they pay for my hours on those. I still have enough control in these cases. I come up with better lower costing solutions when the stakeholders express WHY the feature is needed, what problem it solves. Then we and I can creatively explore HOW to solve the problem. There's usually several ways to solve anything, many that vary by orders of magnitude in terms of cost or architectural complexity. If I am dictated always on the HOW, handed fully solutioned work to implement like a monkey I rebel and have a long talk about how this won't work. I never have had to quit over this stance but I would if it wasn't reconciled. So when I say control, that's really what I specifically mean by that word. The ability to negotiate and explore the HOW with the why being firmly in mind.

3 ms·

I've been in full control of the architecture, team makeup, feature design, most of the technology choice, and often the feature priority. I put my foot down on

by swader999 3y ago

tptacek 3y ago
But you don't have a direct relationship with the actual buyers of your work, so you don't control your project structure, and the middleman business reselling your work presumably needs to be taking a cut. It's no wonder they treat you well, right?
- swader999 3y ago
  Well for the case right now, I'm building a multi tenant system. Some tenants want features that no others want and they pay for my hours on those. I still have enough control in these cases. I come up with better lower costing solutions when the stakeholders express WHY the feature is needed, what problem it solves. Then we and I can creatively explore HOW to solve the problem. There's usually several ways to solve anything, many that vary by orders of magnitude in terms of cost or architectural complexity. If I am dictated always on the HOW, handed fully solutioned work to implement like a monkey I rebel and have a long talk about how this won't work. I never have had to quit over this stance but I would if it wasn't reconciled. So when I say control, that's really what I specifically mean by that word. The ability to negotiate and explore the HOW with the why being firmly in mind.