Hi Jon & Gang, I’ve been there, my most recent project was going along smooth as silk. I’ld met with the committee beforehand, and thought I’ld won them over quite well. The design went through, and getting to the final process of some artwork, that was left to interpretation by the committee to be reviewed, it seems some liked what I had come up with others didn’t. In this particular case, I’m letting them have their designer party to see what they might come up with, who knows maybe it will come out for the best. It’s been a great project otherwise.
another time, I sort of let the dumbest guy in the room have his say, and boom my entire design got shot down in flames.
Be prepared to explain why the design, is as it is, the hierarchy of the process and the webpage/site design. Don’t let some criticisms get you down.
There’s some great designers out there who have written some “coaching” type of articles and blog posts lately.
Always appear open to suggestion and critiques, but when it goes overboard explain how it is starting to run over the scope of the original project, that makes them decide things a little quicker $$$!

Talk about the nitty gritty part of corporate design, It’s mind perplexing but sounds accurate.

If i’m right they use a similar system in electronics to design the most complex circuits.