Wikipedia:Too many cooks spoil the broth

A committee of Wikipedians assemble to prepare a potato broth.

Seeking wider input is often beneficial, but sometimes too many cooks spoil the broth, as the saying goes.

Consensus is the main principle for making decisions on Wikipedia. When there is a point that editors disagree on, they will typically start a discussion, which will ideally then lead to the establishment of consensus. If it doesn't, then the editors can seek wider input, for example by initiating an Request for comments or using another formal mechanism. This is often helpful and usually leads to the breaking of the deadlock. And in cases where the stakes are high and a wide section of the community may be affected, this is the only available means for reaching legitimate decisions.

However, such processes may also come with their drawbacks. New participants in a long discussion may not always read all previous comments before commenting themselves, which can lead to arguments getting brought in again that were already thrashed out and dismissed at the start. Editors may be less willing to put in the effort to properly investigate the matter if they know that their voice is unlikely to make a big impact, and longer discussions can also sometimes meander off course.

Where large-scale consensus is needed then it should be sought out, otherwise it may be better to first ask the opinion of a single competent editor who is trusted by both sides, than to escalate to a discussion venue that will attract a higher number of comments, which may not necessarily be of higher quality.