Darwin Manifesto

Construction estimating has historically been shaped by fragmented information, inconsistent logic, and workflows that struggle to adapt to changing market conditions. Drawings live in one system, quantities in another, prices in a spreadsheet, and institutional knowledge dissolves with every new version of a file.

Darwin exists to introduce a framework where estimating becomes structured, reusable, and traceable.
The following principles define the foundation of that framework.

1. Estimating Must Be a Reusable Discipline

Estimators routinely rebuild the same assumptions in every project:

the same assemblies
the same material breakdowns
the same labor compositions

This repetition wastes time and obscures logic.

Darwin treats construction knowledge as reusable modules — stable building blocks that capture how something is built. Once defined, a module becomes part of the organization’s cost DNA and can be applied repeatedly across projects.

Reusability is not convenience; it is the basis for consistency and improvement.

2. Logic and Market Conditions Must Be Independent

The cost of labor changes.
The cost of materials changes.
The construction logic behind a slab, a wall, or a partition does not.

Darwin separates:

Modules → construction logic
Price Lists → market conditions

By decoupling what is stable from what is volatile, estimates become adaptable without losing structure. Recalculation becomes instant. Comparisons become meaningful. Revisions become auditable.

3. Projects Are the Natural Container of Truth

A project is more than a place to store files — it is the context where cost intelligence lives.

Each project in Darwin provides:

IFC imports and mappings
estimations and revisions
documents and supporting files
price lists and assumptions
collaboration tasks
activity history

A project forms a complete, traceable record of how an estimate was produced.
Nothing is isolated; everything is connected.

4. BIM Accelerates Input, But Does Not Replace Judgment

IFC models offer geometry and metadata, but they do not contain cost logic.
Darwin uses BIM as a fast input mechanism:

extracting quantities
identifying element groups
visualizing model components
enabling mapping to modules

But the estimator remains the author of logic.
BIM informs; it does not decide.

Automation should strengthen professional judgment, not eliminate it.

5. Transparency Is Essential

An estimate must be explainable.

Darwin exposes:

material quantities
labor hours
expense logic
module assumptions
mapping decisions
price sources
overrides and revisions

Nothing is hidden inside formulas or nested spreadsheets.
Transparency builds trust.
Traceability builds accountability.

6. Collaboration Requires Structure

Estimating is not a solitary discipline.
Teams review prices, validate assumptions, share insights, and manage approvals.

Darwin supports collaboration through:

tasks
document repositories
shared modules
project activity history
consistent workflows

Structure enables teams to coordinate without losing clarity.

7. Estimating Must Evolve

Construction evolves. Markets evolve. Costs evolve.
For estimating to remain relevant, its logic must evolve as well.

Modules can be refined.
Price lists can be updated.
Assumptions can be documented, challenged, and improved.

Darwin is built to support continuous evolution rather than static snapshots.
Knowledge grows when it is allowed to iterate.

Conclusion

Darwin is more than a software tool. It is a framework for transforming estimating into a structured, reusable, and transparent discipline.

By separating logic from prices, grounding decision-making in project context, embracing BIM as an accelerator, and enabling collaborative workflows, Darwin creates an environment where cost intelligence can thrive.

This manifesto defines the philosophical foundation upon which the Darwin platform is built.