What #NoEstimates has taught me

This is a story from a real life scenario. It's about how estimates was turned against me and how #NoEstimates has taught me to act next time. At least, try to act. I.e. explore :-)

The scenario

I was hired as a "resource" (consultant) at one of our customers. Once we had a meeting. They wanted to discuss a new (a larger) change on an existing application. I.e a new feature. I was the one who was going to build it. After discussing their new great idea, the inevitable question came: "Can you look at this and get back with an estimate on the size of this?".

You all know this story, but here it is anyway:

I knew this customer, I had worked with them for quite a long time. I knew they actually said "Give us a promise!". I knew they would complain that my estimate would be "to expensive" and I should look at trying to cut it.

But at the time I didn't think this was something strange, "It's how it is, it's how it's done".

Thus, I got back with an estimate (I actually kind of already "knew" the size, or what I was going to answer, when we discussed the idea). Knowing they would use it as a promise I first got an approval of my estimate from my manager. I presented my estimate to the customer and was very, very clear (did I say very clear?) that it was an *estimate*. They where actually all great with that and didn't even asked if I could cut it. Happy days!

Not. The estimate became a promise anyway. And the estimate turned out to be "wrong". Things took longer than expected (has that ever happened to you? :-) And my estimate was held against me.

As I said, you all know the story.

What I'm going to try next time

I don't work with this customer anymore (for other reasons than my estimates I should point out. It was actually a great customer, even though I don't describe it as one). So, I'm not sure I will be ably to try this approach, but I might try it in another form on other customers.

I should have played with opened cards. Knowing they wanted promises and not merely estimates. This is what I should have said (or at least this is how I feel, now, I should have said):

"I think you want a promise, a commitment, and not an estimate. Is this true?" They would probably not admit this and answer something like "No, we want an estimate to know what this will cost us and when to expect it." I should then try to respond "If it is an estimate you want, I think we should book another meeting and look at the size of this work together. We will then, all, have a shared understanding and a better sense of cost and time." They would probably say "That is not necessary, you are the expert, we believe in your expertise.", me: "Then I believe you do want a promise and not merely an estimate. I then would like to discuss what we should do if my estimate turns out to be wrong, before I provide one." Maybe I would add: "I have a sense of the size of this work already if you'd like to hear? And I believe you already have a budget for this, explicit or implicit, but let's all try to be explicit; may I ask what you had in mind and see if we share that view?"

You have to know that this was actually a very decent customer (even though it might not look like it). Perhaps a customer with some dysfunctions (who hasn't got any?) Thus, I think they would get this. How the discussion would've turned out after this I can't grasp right now. But it's a start. I'll try and evaluate and learn, and try new things again.

Any ideas? Please, leave comment with your thoughts and experiences.