My capstone team has a "design by committee" problem and nothing is getting done

[DonBrown]

Engineering capstone. We're building a prototype for a assistive device. Simple concept. Good cause. Terrible team dynamics.

We have 5 people. 5 opinions. Every decision turns into a 2-hour debate about "what if we tried..." and "maybe we should consider..." and "has anyone thought about..." YES. WE'VE THOUGHT. NOW DECIDE.

I made a Gantt chart in week 1. Beautiful. Color-coded. Realistic deadlines. It's now week 8 and we're still stuck on things that should have been decided in week 3. My chart is basically fiction at this point.

The worst part is that everyone wants to be "involved" in every decision. No trust. No delegation. Just endless meetings where we all stare at each other and nothing gets resolved.

I tried being the "leader" and making executive decisions. Got accused of being "controlling." I tried stepping back and letting others lead. Nothing happened. I'm trapped between doing everything myself and watching us fail.

How do you make progress in a team that can't make decisions? How do you move forward when everyone wants a say in everything? I need strategies from people who've survived group projects worse than mine.

 

[Samantha]

I survived a nightmare capstone by implementing "default positions."

If no one objects within 48 hours of a proposal, it's approved. Put it in writing. Send an email. "I'm planning to order the X component unless anyone objects by Thursday." Suddenly people actually respond instead of waiting for meetings. And decisions get made.

It shifts the burden. Instead of requiring agreement to move forward, it requires objection to stop.