The ultimate symbol of a large organization’s approach to website management is the committee. A committee is often formed to tackle the website because internal politics demand that everyone have a say and that all considerations be taken into account. To say that all committees are a bad idea is naive, and to suggest that a large corporate website could be developed without consultation is fanciful. But when it comes to design, committees are often the kiss of death.

 Design is subjective. The way we respond to a design is influenced by culture, gender, age, childhood experience and even physical conditions (such as color blindness). What one person considers great design could be hated by another. This is why it is so important that design decisions be informed by user testing rather than personal experience. Unfortunately, this approach is rarely taken when a committee is making the decisions. Instead, designing by committee becomes about compromise. Because committee members have different opinions about the design, they look for common ground.

One person hates the blue color scheme, while another loves it. This leads to designing on the
fly, with the committee instructing the designer to “try a different blue” in the hopes of finding middle ground. Unfortunately, this leads only to bland design that neither appeals to nor excites anyone.