This resonated with me a lot, thank you. It more or less matches what I have experienced, and it’s good to see someone write this down in a fairly balanced point of view.

My favourite parts:

> My job is to figure out the set of software approaches that match that estimate. […]

> Many engineers find this approach distasteful. […]

> If you refuse to estimate, you’re forcing someone less technical to estimate for you.

Even after many years, I still find it distasteful sometimes but I have to remind myself what everyone gets paid for at the end of the day.