Universal Principles of Design, Updated and Expanded Third Edition

085 Groupthink

A decision-making phenomenon that occurs when group harmony is overprioritized.

Groupthink is a dysfunctional group dynamic that occurs when agreement and conformity are prioritized over critical analysis and debate, often leading to poor decision-making outcomes. The phenomenon is most likely to occur when groups are highly cohesive, are insulated from experts and people with differing views, have limited access to information, operate under a directive style of leadership, have low confidence or low self-esteem, and are working under conditions of high stress. When one or more of these conditions are present, groups tend toward consensus-seeking behaviors — i.e., groupthink.1

Designers should guard against groupthink, as bad ...