Field Notes
Essays from inside a 120-person digital agency on Jira — written by Ernest. Project margin, estimating, the architecture of profitability, and the small decisions that compound. No content marketing.
Three structural causes of estimate variance that have nothing to do with engineering optimism: the meeting the estimate didn't see, the role mix that wasn't defended, and the support tail that wasn't priced. Practical fixes for each, with the math.
A practical guide to role-based estimating: what to put on the line, how to share it with the client, and the four questions a role-based estimate answers that an hour-based estimate doesn't. Includes the template we use internally and the conversation it saves.