When people demand estimates (or reject novel ways of working in general), I'd suggest addressing that problem by identifying and addressing fears. For example, people want estimates because they're afraid of putting a fortune into something that will never be delivered. It comes from waterfall thinking, where dev is a black box. You put money in, and maybe a year later, something comes out. That's pretty scary, and that's also how people think development must work--they see no alternatives.
So, address that fear by talking about lowering risk. For example, if you deliver working software every few days, the process is no longer opaque, and the risk is more easily managed. Similarly, you can sell something sooner (less capable, for less money, but it's revenue nonetheless), lowering development risk. Don't try to sell "no estimates." Instead, sell reduced risk and other things that directly mitigate fear.
So, in general, when somebody pushes back against something novel, ask “What are you afraid of?”
Took this through a few rounds of ChatGPT prompting...
Top 1 actionable item here:
Promote Transparency with Iterative Delivery:
Delivering working software frequently not only reduces uncertainty but also builds trust with stakeholders by making the development process more transparent and manageable. This approach directly addresses their concerns and provides ongoing reassurance.
If the fears are not forthcoming in direct conversation, I’ve found this exercise can really help: https://triggerstrategy.substack.com/p/fear-driven-development
Took this through a few rounds of ChatGPT prompting...
Top 1 actionable item here:
Promote Transparency with Iterative Delivery:
Delivering working software frequently not only reduces uncertainty but also builds trust with stakeholders by making the development process more transparent and manageable. This approach directly addresses their concerns and provides ongoing reassurance.
Fully agree. Addressing risks is the best way. A lot of times it also boils down to the "what is really most important to you?" question.