2: An outside view works best when using a reference class with a similar causal structure to the thing you’re trying to predict. An inside view works best when a phenomenon’s causal structure is well-understood, and when (to your knowledge) there are very few phenomena with a similar causal structure that you can use to predict things about the phenomenon you’re investigating. See: The Outside View’s Domain.
When writing a textbook that’s much like other textbooks, you’re probably best off predicting the cost and duration of the project by looking at similar textbook-writing projects. When you’re predicting the trajectory of the serial speed formulation of Moore’s Law, or predicting which spaceship designs will successfully land humans on the moon for the first time, you’re probably best off using an (intensely informed) inside view.
Is there data/experiments on when each gives better predictions, as with Kahneman’s original outside view work?
Is there data/experiments on when each gives better predictions, as with Kahneman’s original outside view work?