There is an old saying - "The Tale of the Hare's Skin and Seven Little Caps."
A man comes to a tailor with a hare's skin:
- Can you sew me a cap?
- Sure! - replies the tailor and sews one.
Then the man returns and asks:
- Can I have two caps?
- Sure! - and two appear.
- How about three?
- Sure!
- And seven caps?
- Sure...
In the end, the caps become so small that they only fit dolls, but each time the tailor answers with good-natured confidence:
- Sure!
Why did I recall this tale?
Because estimators face this scenario every day:
"We need more, faster, better quality… but for the same or even less money."
The budget is limited, the tasks are huge, the resources are stretched to the limit. Sound familiar?
I recall this "hare's skin" in almost every project.
Recently, reflections by Jörg-Martin Hohberg inspired me to write this post - to raise a few serious questions that I believe many colleagues will share.
Who is the estimator today?
Just a number counter following instructions - or an engineer capable of influencing design decisions?
When does an estimator start feeling like more than a "project accountant," but a specialist who can (and should) argue, defend, and influence decisions?
What is the path to this feeling?
Is engineering education necessary? Are courses enough? Or does it come only with experience?
After how many years does an estimator start participating in a project as an engineer? Five years? Ten? Or does it never happen - if there is a lack of ambition or interest?
Or maybe it's not about profession at all, but about the person?
I firmly believe that without an estimator, a project does not know its limits.
We are the ones who clearly understand where that very "hare's skin" lies, and how many real, functional "caps" it can provide - not toy ones, but practical and safe.
After discussing this with Jörg-Martin, when I brought up arguments - from my experience and examples of colleagues - that an estimator can truly influence a project, change its course, and set its direction, I suddenly came across a post by a fellow estimator saying:
"The estimate will be exactly what documents you were given at the start. Be satisfied."
And my theory collided with reality.
How come? Why don't we verify input data? Why don't we check drawings, clarify regulations? Why do we just ask: "How? Like this or like that?" instead of digging deeper?
What is going on? Is it a shifting of responsibility?
Does this mean that an estimator is not an engineer, not someone who "works magic" with numbers and technical solutions, but just an executor?
What kind of specialist are you?
Do you verify input information?
Do you influence design decisions?
Do you believe an estimator needs an engineering education - and if yes, in which field, which degree? Maybe a special niche is needed?
Or is it enough to be a calculation specialist, analyst, negotiator, and to understand project realities?
And here is another question that concerns not only estimators. What if your formal education is in one field, but your career took a different path? For example, someone has an engineering degree but works as a risk manager or project manager. Can they obtain professional certification as an engineer if their practice is in a related but different area? Or vice versa, if a person with a humanities or economics background works many years in technical projects and has developed engineering thinking - should they be excluded from certification systems?
Where is the boundary between formal diplomas and real competencies?
For me, this question is no longer rhetorical. How about you?
Thanks to Jörg-Martin for the inspiration.
Share your experience - how do you act in "hare's skin" conditions? Where do you see the boundary between executor and engineer in our profession?
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Darya Stanskova Aff.M.ASCE
Cost Estimator, Construction Engineer, Power Engineer, Project Manager
Clearwater FL
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