How Do Committees Fail to Invent?

Overview
This post examines the reasons committees fail to invent, focusing on the dynamics of decision-making, diffusion of responsibility, and the loss of individual ownership that can stifle creativity within engineering organizations.

Key Takeaways

• Large groups tend to converge on safe, incremental solutions rather than bold innovations.
• Accountability diminishes as responsibility is spread across many participants.
• Formal processes and excessive governance can create friction that discourages risk-taking.
• Empowering small, autonomous teams often leads to more inventive outcomes.
• Clear ownership and decision rights are essential for fostering a culture of innovation.

Who Would Benefit

• Engineering managers seeking to improve team innovation.
• Technical leaders responsible for structuring decision-making processes.
• Product owners and architects who work with cross-functional committees.
• Anyone interested in the psychology of group dynamics in tech settings.

Frameworks and Methodologies

• Decision-making ownership models.
• Small-team autonomous design patterns.
• Agile retrospectives focused on innovation blockers.