Having Fun: Imagine the Perfect Freelancer’s Tool
Imagine it: you’ve been given the chance to look into the future and bring back one tool that will help you be the Best. Freelancer. Ever.
What is this tool? Heck if I know.
What is the one tool that will help you become the best? Even if it hasn’t been invented yet, what is it that you would like to see?
- Practical AI that can create copy that converts 99.9% of the time?
- Design software that directly interfaces with your cerebral cortex to produce the perfect image?
- Instant credit check to see what your client’s likelihood of paying will be like when the project is completed – before you start the project? (I’m thinking minority report meets credit score.)
- The ultimate espresso machine – perfect beans, perfect crema – exactly 5 seconds before you realize you want one?
Since freelancing is what you want to do for the rest of your life, what tool could you use to become the Über Freelancer?
3,200 freelancers surveyed globally. In-depth interviews with 10 notable freelancers.
Insights and information you can't afford to ignore!
Find Out More
This is the stupidest article I’ve ever read.
Fitting to have a similar comment then as well.
Judging by your grammar I suspect you don’t read a lot of articles anyway; no big loss to anyone then.
I’d love something that can show me what a client is thinking of as they describe it, and vise-versa.
Also, something to filter out snarky comments.
Amen to that. That sounds amazing.
Could you imagine being able to get an exact image of what your client was thinking? Imagine how much time it would save?
the only issue with that is that many clients don’t actually know what they want. I recon it would spit out giblygoop.
Joe – sounds like good ideas. Especially the second one.
Rob – sorry, but if you would like, I will supply you with a list of my posts that are much worse. my pleasure
I want a “one-window does it all” app. Yes, I know of the likes of Coda and Espresso, but they all lack a lot:
* You design, like in Fireworks/Photoshop.
* Switch tab, and you got your code.
* Each file/app section divided in tabs.
* CUSTOMIZABLE KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS. For A N Y T H I N G.
* Autocomplete.
* Keep folder structure and be able to manage it within the app.
* Live preview window with different rendering engines (or, at the very least, Gecko and Webkit… Presto would be awesome).
* Auto-save and auto-backup features, PLEASE.
* Next app tab to be some sort of development tab. A few of the most popular CMSs there: WordPress, Drupal, EE, etc. etc.
* If no CMS, then a few PHP Frameworks to work with or a custom development enviroment.
* One click install of those CMSs / frameworks in the destined folder (By default, subfolder on the main project architecture).
* After installation, everything you need to customize the theme.
* When all is said and done, one click zip of the entire project. Folder structure divided in Design, Front-end, Back-end.
* Ability to go back to a previous version of any file.
* Ability to sync with an FTP server.
* Ability to send notifications to clients via e-mail within the app. Something like: I’m coding the About page… but got a question about the form fields needed. Click on the mail button, highlight the area, click send and the client receives an email with a screenshot of the highlighted area and the question, as well as a live URL to the linked FTP server (if configured) so he can check by himself.
Woah, I really want a lot.
I’d love a tool that finds projects that are just right for me, my skills, and my interests – I spent more time looking for/trying to get work than actually working!
love to have access to that tool as well – good idea Victoria, congrats on the new book!
Same idea.
A huge, giant Web parser dedicated to project research. It would scan every bit of every webpages to find projects to realize. And then it would look for any means to contact the potential client.
The brother of this tool would be a software you would be able to talk to code websites :
“Hey Jim One, create a website with a forum and make that every thread are posted on twitter”
“Ok master”
That would be awesome! I pass over so many jobs because I either don’t have the skills or the interest.
Medicine. Anti-Procrastination ointment. Get things done now!
A self updating laptop that does not scorch your legs, updates all hardware and software, and backs everything instantly and reliably online.
Instant and reliable online backup exists, it’s called Dropbox. Reasonably cheap and I’ve been using it happily for ages!
Something that would let me learn any new skill in a jiffy.
they had this on Red Dwarf – some sort of brain tonic. really, really looking forward to this!
“Wait a minute, Doc. Ah… Are you telling me that you built a time machine… out of a DeLorean?”
definitely.
The second one, certainly. The credit checker is needed too. What I would really really like is an app that forces me to follow my to-do list. That is a real necessity.
I’d like an AI sparring partner that can critique my work when my studio-mates are not around
.
How about an AI that identifies, locates and persuades the next client while I work on a project. It can also tirelessly pester clients that don’t pay on time.
On second thought, this technology already exists. It’s called a ‘manager’.
I want one.
after checking your site – you might just have the team to create whatever you want!
love teh sound compass, but the wiremonkey and the 230,000 volts was pretty awesome!
but i guess a manager would be good, too!
It’s not related to freelancing, but I would love an AI that could keep my baby busy, well-fed, changed, and that could put her to sleep so that I can get things done without any worries. Once I’m done, I’ll just turn off the AI and take over. I’m guessing I could get things done 50% faster with the AI than how I’m fairing now.
@Stephanie: Then it IS a freelancing tool! I would like a distraction filter, not just outside distractions, but something to keep my mind from wandering when it can harm my output. Other than that, I like to let it wander
I’d like something that makes ME feel confident in my work when everyone knows the client is going to LOVE it…..
I want to live in a Star Trek universe where commerce is no longer practiced. I want to focus on the art, and doing things that are fun, without having to worry about an income or earning a living.
Otherwise, a software interface where you can download new versions of software and instantly know how to use every feature available.
Umm, some things are good but nothing that makes web design easier… If there was then everybody would be a designer and I would be able to charge $0 an hour. Woo hoo!! I like the coffee machine idea though.
A tool which can convert ideas into wp directly…u simply give ur PSD and output is wp theme…u simply give some details of the flow and output is wp plugins…same thing applies for other open source CMS too…not bad article to read when you have a toiling day….
Well I am agrees with Aplix . It really soinds great.
I think future is going to be era of freelancers.
Well, in fact, i guess i’d need two “tools”.
First, some sort of universal database of concept relations, to help me build wider and richer mind-maps, to provide a more diversified source for the brainstorming step. Maybe a suggestion system that works along with your insertion in the map, would be nice. I believe the specifications of a tool are not the purpose of the author, so, just the idea. =D
A virtual construct that allows the free development and creation of any content the project may have, avoiding at least 3/4 of the physical resources, recuding drastically the amount of money spent on it AND the waste of those materials.
Before anyone talk about my grammar, english is not my native language.
1. The ability to fold up my 17″ MacBook Pro into the size of a quarter with the touch of a button for easy portability.
2. The ability to apply a hardware upgrade anytime apple releases a new MacBook Pro, and just pay the cost difference. It would morph into the new model and charge me for the difference.
3. Definitely Joe’s comment from above…client mind reader.
Damon, I agree on all accounts! I would add that the MacBook Pro is bullet proof, and that a tool for CLIENTS, to help them create the perfect design brief: Concise, unchanging (for at least the duration of the project), clear, complete.
Ha! What a fun question!
What about something that takes all the website requirements and creates the perfect wireframe?
Design, code, copy is now up to the freelancer.
I like this post…I clicked it to read all the comments and see what kind of magic buttons people would dream up.
To be able to see inside a client’s mind and figure out what some of the requests they come up with actually mean- now that would be priceless. Or maybe it would be crap because their ideas would still be outrageous and impossible…but still, it would save some time!
screw freelancing, get me the lotto results!
Unlimited Super-Duper-Uber Memory on my laptop so I can multi-multi-multi-task without speed being sacrificed!
Clearly the tool that does all the work for you! So you sit there and watch your robot-clone design while you sneak in an evil laugh
A software program that generates the images/code/text as you project it in your mind. There are many times where I see something in my mind but I don’t have the artistic experience to reproduce it to the same quality, a program that could render it for me would be nice. Think about how quickly design work could get done after that.