Communication flows create dependency points that limit what the design can be. Consider an organization that designs broom handles. They have an industrial de

Communication flows create dependency points that limit what the design can be. Consider an organization that designs broom handles. They have an industrial design department that selects the shape and material, and a market research department that selects the color and packaging to fit current trends. If the market research is purely downstream from the industrial design, their feedback can never affect the tactile properties of the product, thus limiting the range of possible designs. Replace the physical product with an abstract system, and the same design dependency issues apply.