<h2>Start with the work, not a guess</h2><p>A useful estimate begins by describing the work in small pieces: discovery, production, review, communication and handoff. Breaking a project down makes assumptions visible and gives you a way to revisit them when the brief changes.</p><h2>Use a simple range</h2><p>Instead of promising a single precise number too early, keep a working range and explain what would move the work toward the high or low end. Note the assumptions behind the range, such as the number of deliverables, review rounds and dependencies on the client.</p><h2>Turn time into a feedback loop</h2><p>After delivery, compare the estimate with your recorded time. The goal is not perfect prediction. The goal is to learn where your estimates are consistently optimistic and improve the next proposal.</p><p>Sixton can help you keep client and project time records together so the review is based on your own history.</p>