Freelance AI & Software Design Consultant
I help teams in complex domains design and build software that is easy to understand, extend, and maintain — and fix existing software that isn't.
When the problem calls for it, I bring a strong machine learning background to create data-driven and AI-powered solutions where they genuinely add value to a product.
The Challenge
- Developers start coding with an incomplete understanding of the problem, and the resulting software is far more complicated than it needs to be.
- Features take three times longer than they should because the codebase has become a maze of workarounds and accidental complexity.
- The code is disconnected from the domain, so when a business process changes, no one knows what logic needs updating.
- Machine Learning (ML) and data-driven features get bolted on as an afterthought instead of being a coherent part of the product.
- AI agents are changing the game — both as coding tools and as features in products — but the team isn't set up to use them effectively, and the codebase isn't structured in a way that lets AI help rather than hallucinate.
A Better Way
I help your team avoid these pitfalls by bridging the gap between a complex domain and clean, maintainable software:
- Immerse myself in your domain, whether that's chemical processes, industrial systems, or another technically demanding field.
- Translate that understanding into a clear software design that captures the essential complexity without unnecessary overhead.
- Include ML and data-driven components where they genuinely add value — integrated into the product, not a standalone prototype.
- Refactor existing codebases to remove accidental complexity so that adding features becomes straightforward again.
- Help your team adopt effective AI-assisted coding practices — from choosing the right coding agents to structuring code so these tools can help rather than hinder.
- Design software with the future in mind: agent-accessible interfaces, clean APIs, and validation layers so your product is ready for a world where AI agents are users too.
- Work alongside your developers during implementation and coach your team to apply these practices independently — so they stay self-sufficient long after the engagement ends.
The outcome: software that's easy to understand, extend, and maintain — and a team that's equipped to keep it that way.
What I Offer
I work with teams in a flexible, hands-on way — providing immediate value while setting them up for long-term success.
Core Offering: Embedded Consulting & Coaching
The main way I work is by joining your team part-time (typically 15–30h/week for 6–12 months, depending on the project). I support projects from design through implementation, shaping the architecture alongside your team, reviewing code, and refactoring where needed. The goal is always to leave your team stronger and more capable than I found them.
Entry Packages
- Domain & Solution Design Workshop (1-2 weeks)
For teams starting a new project in a complex domain. We map out the problem space together, identify where the real complexity lies (and where it doesn't), and design a clean software architecture. This includes where ML and AI agents fit in. The outcome is a shared blueprint that prevents your team from building the wrong thing or over-engineering the right thing. - System Audit & Refactoring Roadmap (2-4 weeks)
For teams struggling with a codebase that's become painful to work with. Together with your team, I trace how the domain is represented in the software and identify where that mapping has broken down. You get a prioritized refactoring plan that realigns the code with the domain, so every change makes the next feature easier to ship.
Why Me
- 12+ years of bridging complex domains and clean software, from chemical manufacturing (BASF) to cement production (alcemy) to industrial automation (TRUMPF & ALPLA).
- Deep ML expertise (PhD, published research, open source libraries) applied where it genuinely adds value, not as a solution looking for a problem.
- Proven results in taming accidental complexity: simplifying codebases and getting teams back to shipping features without headaches.
- Strong focus on knowledge transfer through pairing, code reviews, and training (50+ courses taught) so your team is set up for success after I leave.
Ready to Work Together?
Whether your team is starting a project in a complex domain, struggling with a codebase that's become hard to maintain, or trying to figure out how to get ready for a future with AI agents — let's talk about what you're working on.
Send me an email at hey@franziskahorn.de and we'll figure out how I can help.