Why Design By Committee Fails and What Works Better
2022-04-17
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Building a web application is hard work. It takes a team of skilled people, clear roles, and strong leadership. Designers, developers, product managers, and business leaders all play an important part.
On paper, design by committee sounds like a good idea. Many companies want to be more inclusive. They want everyone to have a voice and feel valued. The goal is to keep employees happy and involved.
But in real life, design by committee almost always fails.
When too many non-designers help make design decisions, the result is confusion, slow progress, and poor user experiences. Let’s break down why this happens, and what works better instead.
How Company Power Structures Work
Every company has a power structure. This structure clearly shows who makes decisions and who follows them. Without this clarity, teams struggle.
Most companies use one of two models:
- Authoritarian hierarchies
- Democratic committees
These two models do not mix well. Trying to use both at the same time creates confusion, conflict, and lost productivity.
Authoritarian Hierarchies
In an authoritarian hierarchy, decisions flow from the top down.
Employees report to managers. Managers report to directors. Directors report to executives or the CEO.
In this system:
- It is clear who makes decisions
- It is clear who follows instructions
- Leaders are accountable when things go wrong
Regular employees may not have decision power, but they are also not blamed for bad leadership decisions. Their job is to do the work they are assigned.
This structure may not feel warm or friendly, but it is clear and efficient.
Democratic Committees
Democratic committees sound nicer at first. Everyone gets a voice. Everyone gets a vote.
But this comes with a serious problem: no one is truly accountable.
When everyone helps decide, no single person is responsible if the project fails.
Other problems quickly appear:
- Endless meetings
- Long debates over small details
- Slow progress
- Vague feedback with no clear direction
Most committee members are not designers. They lack the training and experience needed to make strong UX or UI decisions. To avoid blame, they speak in general terms like “It doesn’t feel right” or “Maybe we should explore other options.”
Some people try to take control without real authority, which causes conflict. Others become confused and do the bare minimum just to get through the day.
The Decision-Making Mess
Each committee member uses a different way to make decisions:
- Some rely on emotion
- Some rely on personal bias
- Some rely on numbers and logic
This leads to misunderstandings and arguments.
Meetings often turn into debates about:
- Terminology
- Ticket details
- Scope
- Technical limits
- Personal disagreements
- Who is actually in charge
Very little time is spent on the real question: “How do we make this product work well for users?”
People may agree in a meeting, then ignore the decision days later because they think they know better. This turns the whole process into a corporate poker game that wastes time and kills productivity.
A Better Solution
Design is personal. Just like beauty, it is often in the eye of the beholder.
The best designs come from one clear vision, not a group vote.
Strong products are usually led by:
- A skilled designer
- Or a clear-thinking executive
This person has the training, experience, and confidence to make decisions. They can explain their vision, guide the team, and connect the product to the company’s values.
The rest of the team supports that vision instead of fighting over it.
Final Thoughts
I dislike strict hierarchies. But after years of experience, one thing is clear:
Great design does not come from democratic committees.
It comes from clear ownership, strong leadership, and trust in skilled professionals. When companies understand this, teams move faster, products improve, and users win.