“a camel is a horse designed by a committee”
Let’s talk about involving everyone in design decisions. While getting input is valuable, too many cooks can spoil the broth. Imagine we’re designing a new login screen for the app. In a “design by committee” scenario, everyone throws in ideas. One person wants a bright splash screen, another prefers a minimalist approach. We end up with a Frankenstein of an interface – confusing and unappealing.
Here’s why design by committee backfires:
- Too many cooks: With too many voices, it’s hard to make clear decisions or prioritize features. Everyone feels unheard, leading to frustration.
- Focus on opinions, not data: Personal preferences take center stage over user research and data. We might miss the target audience’s actual needs.
- Slow decision-making: Reaching consensus with a large group can be like pulling teeth. This slows down the design process and hinders agility.
So, what can we do instead? Agile thrives on collaboration, but with a twist. Let’s involve users through surveys and usability testing. We can also leverage the expertise of a design team to create a few strong options. Then, as a team, we can discuss these data-driven options and make informed decisions together. This fosters a healthy balance between user needs, design expertise, and team collaboration, leading to a user-friendly and successful product.
Link:
Albrecht Günther 