Estimate Insanely Early

When is the earliest time you should estimate costs for your exhibition or experience project?

A. As soon as you have approved technical drawings.

B. As soon as you have a concept design package.

C. As soon as humanly possible, when you barely know what you’re doing.

Yep, it’s C.

It’s not about asking a professional estimator. Exhibition teams should make their own internal estimate before the first phase of planning and design work is even done. You’ll learn a lot and gain accountability that will last the whole project.

- Fire up a spreadsheet.
- Estimate by zone, then by sub-components.
- Include tons of line items: AV hardware, software, lighting.
- Don’t forget a contingency: 20%+ (thank me later).

Use pro estimates from later phases to check yours. Get good enough that you can show yours early and not be far off.

Here’s the thing: 
Estimate insanely early — starting when you barely know what you’re pricing.

Warmly,
Jonathan

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MtM Word of the Day:
Mount maker. Artisan responsible for making artifact mounts (aka object mounts). Mounts come in a huge range of sizes and materials, but most physically support artifacts safely during display, storage, preservation, and transportation.

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Deadline Coming Up:
Have you worked on a great exhibition or experience design project recently? The SEGD Global Design Awards late deadline is next week, on Friday, 28 February. “Since 1987, the SEGD Global Design Awards have set the standard of excellence for experiential design, honoring work that connects people to place.” (And I’m not just saying that because I’m the Jury Chair this year.)