[IxDA Discuss] design by committee??

[Sabine Junginger]

Hi Russel,

Unfortunately, the convenient solution of compartmentalizing and segmenting the design tasks and activities too often leads to products that have great components but miss the overall goal to serve their initial purpose. In the end, it leaves the responsibility to realize the design vision to the organization which may or may not have understood the design implications to begin with. And it leads to design assuming the role of icing the cake.

This is not to dismiss your concern about "designing by committee" also referred to as "designing by consensus." I think that the key to avoid this pitfall in a collaborative effort is for designers to generate a vision early in the project, to articulate this vision and to guard it. This in turn, requires designers to understand their role within the organization. Even managers often fail when they try to impose a vision onto their own organization. A designer or design team that is not even part of the business is in an even weaker position. Unless they work with an organizational champion and use design research strategically to deliver the arguments that support a new vision and persuades the organization about its  feasibility and viability. 

So, rather than retreat, I suggest a proactive stance for design. I am not sure what you are referring to as your "background in development." Are you talking about product development as in a PDMA sense or are you talking about organizational development? The latter might serve you better in this case. I am happy to talk to you more about the direct links between product development and organizational development.  

Cheers, 

Sabine
°·..·••


> [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted
> material.]
> 
> I don't believe in "design by committee".  Specifically where the
> committee is made up of groups outside of design (development, product
> mgt., etc.)
> 
> I'm not saying that I don't believe in collaboration. But I do not want to
> be in situations where I have to "compete" for design with non-designers.
> I cannot see how conceptual integrity can be achieved this way.
> 
> And yet it seems that no matter where I go, no matter what level I reach
> within a company, development (and other groups) want some authority over
> interface design...
> 
> Does anyone have any successful experiences to share regarding improving
> synergies between design/development?  I would ultimately like to see
> development focus on implementation and feasibility and let design focus
> on design (desirability - for those who have seen the diagram).  And this
> is coming from someone with a development background!
> 
> Thanks, Russ
> 
> Russell Wilson | Director of Product Design NetQoS, Inc. | 5001 Plaza on
> the Lake, Austin, TX 78746 512.334.3725 | russell.wilson at netqos.com
> 
> NetQoS: Performance Experts www.netqos.com
> 
> 
> 
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