The myth of the 'lone genius' designer is fading. Modern design is inherently collaborative. Bringing engineers, PMs, and even customers into the design process early leads to more robust solutions. Design critters (critiques) shouldn't be scary; they are opportunities to test your work against different perspectives.
Effective collaboration requires checking your ego at the door. It means holding your strong opinions loosely. When you open up your process, you not only get better ideas, but you also build shared ownership of the final product. The result is a team that feels invested in the outcome, rather than just handing off specs.
