---
tags:
  - destiny/fleeting
  - status/draft
  - topic/estimating
  - topic/ergonomics/organizational
  - type/philosophy
title: Estimating Culture
---
# Estimating Culture

The nature of relationships between [[construction-estimating|estimators]]
and between estimators and adjacent professions,
is a difficult concept to navigate
for an estimator who is purely interested in improving their skills.

## Transparency

Because of the [[purpose-of-construction-estimating#The Myth of Estimate Accuracy]],
estimators are highly guarded of their personal processes,
because detailed analysis of these processes
would reveal that every one of us is a "bad" estimator.

## Accountability

Estimators have a reputation for causing problems others have to solve.

Because of the nature of the bid process,
estimators work on projects for a while,
and then never look at them again until trouble arises.
Because they are not expected to ever look at their work again,
they have no incentive to reveal errors
as they can simply plead ignorance if the error is discovered.

## Incentives

I strongly oppose any project-based incentive structure for estimators.
Such a structure is at odds with the [[purpose-of-construction-estimating]],
and is an example of a [[incentives#Perverse Incentive|perverse incentive]].

This behavior should be regulated by an accompanying _disincentive_ structure,
but equivalent punishment becomes unfeasible
before monetary rewards become effective.
The absolute worst disincentive an estimator faces is termination,
which, with fully-remote options available, is only an inconvenience.

The timeline to recognize an estimate was deliberately misrepresented
is not much shorter than that of the project.

Such incentives therefore create a [[game-theory|competitive game]]
between the estimator and the employer
where the employer is hopelessly outmatched,
and the estimator's [[strategy#Strictly Dominant Strategy|strictly dominant strategy]]---
resisted only by their [[personal-values]]---
is to abuse the system: to bid fast, take the bag, lie often,
and leave when people get too suspicious.

## Collaboration

Estimation is a profession ripe for productive collaboration.
With intelligent work breakdown, jobs can be cleanly segmented for work in parallel.
Estimators working in the same room can be an invaluable resource
for brainstorming ideas and beneficial conversation.

%%
I wrote that last line before I left my previous position
where I had a private office.
%%

It is the failure of estimating culture
and of [[construction-estimating-software]]
that so many estimators are wary of collaboration.

The value of a second set of eyes can not be overstated.

It can be impossible for one estimator to parse the work of another;
the strategies enjoyed by some may seem counterintuitive to others.
It is not practical to mandate a single methodology
for all estimators of a nationwide company,
nor is it wise to accept all methodologies as equally valid.

Compromising, a small group of estimators with direct communication
can be expected to develop and maintain a consistent methodology,
such that any member can independently verify the work of another.
This is best enforced with an expectation of collaboration on all projects,
even those that could be done by one person.

## Technicality

In other industries, estimating is treated appropriately like a data science.
In ours, [[gut-feel]] dominates decision making.

%% TODO: %%
[[estimator-calibration]]
[[ai-in-estimating]]

Making estimation more efficient and enjoyable
requires a unified effort by estimators
to embrace the statistical aspects of our field.

* Be competent with every tool available to you.
* Always assume there is a better way to complete a given task.
