There are a lot of reasons you can end up in this situation, and as many solutions to apply. Identifying the problems, choosing the appropriate solution and imp

There are a lot of reasons you can end up in this situation, and as many solutions to apply. Identifying the problems, choosing the appropriate solution and implementing it is a job. You cannot learn an entire job from a HN post. However, one solution can be used to solve all those problems: put a product manager in charge with a background in ergonomics (in the steve krug sense), and have this person steer the project from start to finish, with the legitimacy to direct people effort and choose policies. The hard part now becomes to hire a good one. A good one will know programming (Xor design), ergonomics and customer support. This person will know how to talk to the customer/end users, to the boss, but also to the designers and the devs. Because eventually that's what it is about: having a good product vision, but being able to make sure this vision matches what the customers need, sell that to the boss, then direct the team to get it. Expecting all of those people to behaved optimally is like hopping to win the lottery. It may happen, but chances are low: - the boss may want fast things for cheap, or have another agenda/point of view about the project - the customer don't know how to express what they really need. Sometimes they don't even know before you ask them. - the designers are skilled at making visual things, but not all of them get out of their way to make sure they are making the visual things that are needed. - the devs are skilled at making programs, but not all of them get out of their way to make sure they are making the things that are needed. - they don't talk the same language, so every conversation means one should be capable and willing to make the effort of taking in a foreign jargon and context. So unless you are very lucky to have most of those doing exactly what you want them to do, you need somebody that will steer the ship. And it's WAY easier to hire one single person with those skills than to make sure every single team member you hire is going to be able to see more than one's own area of expertise. If you can't hire that person, then the next best thing is becoming that person. In that case, you may want to read "Don't makes me think", all 37signals books, and "the mythical man month" for a first step into the marvelous world of building products with reality as it is, instead of what people wish it to be. The rest of course is a lot of practice, talking to a lot of bosses, customers, designers and devs, then try to get the product in the right direction. It's a long (yet interesting) journey, though, so good luck.