Both perspectives are valid. As someone guiding a technical solution I care about the difference between the best solution, the right solution, and a successful

Both perspectives are valid. As someone guiding a technical solution I care about the difference between the best solution, the right solution, and a successful solution. They are not the same thing. The problem most projects face is that technology is easy, and people are not. You might face political circumstances that are bad but immutable. You might have budgetary or schedule constraints that are fixed. You might be dealing with a user base with cultural preconceptions that are plumb wrong. These are all factors that might steer a project away from the best technical solution, but towards a successful one. Managing the loudmouth or "personality" on a project is not always easy.