“Design by committee” happens when too many voices get equal weight in the design process, and instead of a clear vision, you end up with a safe, bland compromise that pleases no one. It’s the UX equivalent of a potluck where everyone brings bread, technically edible, but deeply unsatisfying.

ORIGIN

The phrase comes from the political and bureaucratic world, where decisions are made by groups rather than individuals. It’s often used as a warning: committees may be good at representing diverse interests, but they’re terrible at producing bold, coherent, or innovative outcomes. There’s also a related quip: “A camel is a horse designed by committee.”

WHEN

You’ll know you’re in design-by-committee territory when:

• Every stakeholder gets a veto, and nothing survives without unanimous agreement.
• The design has been “Frankensteined” to include everyone’s pet idea.
• Your meeting notes read like a list of compromises instead of decisions.
• The original concept has been polished until all personality is gone.

WHY

Design by committee hurts because:

• It dilutes strong ideas into safe mediocrity.
• It extends timelines as every voice demands to be heard and accommodated.
• It kills accountability, no one “owns” the final product.
• It leads to inconsistent user experiences as the design tries to do too many things at once.

HOW

To avoid the committee trap:

• Establish a decision-maker. One person should have final design authority.
• Limit review groups. Small, focused feedback loops beat large all-hands critiques.
• Separate input from direction. Feedback should inform, not dictate.
• Document the vision. A shared north star keeps you from wandering into compromise land.

PRO TIP

If you can’t kill the committee, reframe their role. Give them structured choices (“Option A” vs. “Option B”) instead of open-ended design control.

EXAMPLES

• A homepage crammed with every department’s “top priority” banner.
• An app navigation bar with so many categories it feels like a kitchen menu.
• A brand refresh that changes colors, typography, and logo, but only slightly, so no one is offended.

CONCLUSION

Design by committee is where great ideas go to lose their edge. Sometimes, the kindest thing you can do for a project is to reduce the amount of parents.

Also known as: Death by a thousand opinions • Design by democracy • The camel effect