In the real world! A product is designed by a team , is produced by a team, is tested by a team, is sold by a team ... people work together to make things happen ...

I have been a freelance independent programmer for so many years but when it comes to do serious work, I gather a handful of best fellas and share everything with them, including my core ideas about the job, I expose everything to their critics and suggestions and change a lot of my initial designs, everybody is happy, teammates feel respect and become more motivated and responsive, the customer is satisfied and I have learned a lot and I make profits. I keep the 'last word' right though which I use it rarely and politely ... it is team work and it is design-by-team and a committee is nothing less or more than a team.