You’re absolutely right. Steve Krug addresses this issue in “Don’t Make Me Think,” and points out what each party has in mind for a single project. I’ve run into this several times with various project here. Everyone wants to steer the boat and people need to learn when it helps and when it’s just getting in the way of business.

When a company / project group allows all these ‘armchair designers’ to have a say in the project the whole thing tends to end up in an epic mess.

Things get even worse when people with power (execs, sr. managers) push their ‘creative ideas’ through and have them implemented because most designers don’t have the balls to tell their superiors to stick it where the sun don’t shine.

I see this happening. A LOT.