Comments on: Does your design team suffer from “Group Think?” http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/2010/11/17/does-your-design-team-suffer-from-%e2%80%9cgroup-think%e2%80%9d/ Shedding Light on the Hidden World of Embedded Systems Mon, 28 Jul 2014 16:18:37 -0400 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Leigh Harwood http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/2010/11/17/does-your-design-team-suffer-from-%e2%80%9cgroup-think%e2%80%9d/#comment-4322 Leigh Harwood Sun, 21 Nov 2010 20:56:02 +0000 http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/?p=378#comment-4322 Groupthink, unfortunately, is a depressingly glowing reflection of modern times in general as far as I can detect. Most people suffer with it or from it, depending upon their personal levels of resistance to it or fortitude in expressing contradictory viewpoints in defiance of authority or leadership. From personal experience, groupthink can be summed up in two words: COMFORT ZONE! With an increasing emphasis on 'teamwork' in today's workplace in general, little room is left for those who thrive on the ideals of individuality over collective understanding or knowledge in arriving at certain viewpoints on any given issue. 'Groupthink' is thus less confrontational because it presumes on the basis of it's own self-awarded merits that contrary ideas are less valid in comparison to the received wisdom of the collective. Furthemore, authority as a whole and the leadership structures that shape and define such authority - often resent negative feedback from individual members within a team - mainly because the idea of an 'individual' being 'right' over the 'collective co-operation of ideas' - undermines the very ideal of teamwork. For example, many eminent scientists around the globe subscribe to the belief of 'man-made global warming'. There is a consensus, they claim, of thousands of scientists who all subscribe to the same belief. However, in reality, does 'consensus' or 'groupthink' constitute 'the truth' or 'being right'. In reality, there are also thousands of world-renowned scientists who openly dissent from this view and strongly voice independent criticisms from their respective fields. These people are often labelled as 'climate deniers', simply because they voice an alternative viewpoint and understanding of the climate. In essence, they are attacked because they have broken free of the establisment! Groupthink demands a collective take on things so as to appear unfloundering in it's stance - whereas individuality demands a free recongition of all ideas regardless of the fallout. In truth, groupthink provides great comfort to those who otherwise lack the strength to think for themselves or find an easier life to be gained from toeing-the-line than to stand apart and voice their true feelings. Groupthink, unfortunately, is a depressingly glowing reflection of modern times in general as far as I can detect. Most people suffer with it or from it, depending upon their personal levels of resistance to it or fortitude in expressing contradictory viewpoints in defiance of authority or leadership. From personal experience, groupthink can be summed up in two words: COMFORT ZONE! With an increasing emphasis on ‘teamwork’ in today’s workplace in general, little room is left for those who thrive on the ideals of individuality over collective understanding or knowledge in arriving at certain viewpoints on any given issue. ‘Groupthink’ is thus less confrontational because it presumes on the basis of it’s own self-awarded merits that contrary ideas are less valid in comparison to the received wisdom of the collective. Furthemore, authority as a whole and the leadership structures that shape and define such authority – often resent negative feedback from individual members within a team – mainly because the idea of an ‘individual’ being ‘right’ over the ‘collective co-operation of ideas’ – undermines the very ideal of teamwork. For example, many eminent scientists around the globe subscribe to the belief of ‘man-made global warming’. There is a consensus, they claim, of thousands of scientists who all subscribe to the same belief. However, in reality, does ‘consensus’ or ‘groupthink’ constitute ‘the truth’ or ‘being right’. In reality, there are also thousands of world-renowned scientists who openly dissent from this view and strongly voice independent criticisms from their respective fields. These people are often labelled as ‘climate deniers’, simply because they voice an alternative viewpoint and understanding of the climate. In essence, they are attacked because they have broken free of the establisment! Groupthink demands a collective take on things so as to appear unfloundering in it’s stance – whereas individuality demands a free recongition of all ideas regardless of the fallout. In truth, groupthink provides great comfort to those who otherwise lack the strength to think for themselves or find an easier life to be gained from toeing-the-line than to stand apart and voice their true feelings.

]]> By: BenE http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/2010/11/17/does-your-design-team-suffer-from-%e2%80%9cgroup-think%e2%80%9d/#comment-4315 BenE Thu, 18 Nov 2010 10:21:13 +0000 http://www.embeddedinsights.com/channels/?p=378#comment-4315 This is true, not necessarily against the defined company leadership, but those who react badly against criticism. When a designer reacts badly to negative feedback and do not take on board other people's opinions the other designers may feel unable to raise issues which eventually raise themselves later down the line (often at much more cost!). The best designs I've been involved in have had healthy debates with other members over the merits of different methods, feeling free to talk about any issues and modify the design without prejudice, and yes often the newbie asks the most difficult questions like "why are we doing this?". This is true, not necessarily against the defined company leadership, but those who react badly against criticism. When a designer reacts badly to negative feedback and do not take on board other people’s opinions the other designers may feel unable to raise issues which eventually raise themselves later down the line (often at much more cost!).

The best designs I’ve been involved in have had healthy debates with other members over the merits of different methods, feeling free to talk about any issues and modify the design without prejudice, and yes often the newbie asks the most difficult questions like “why are we doing this?”.

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