An IT Steering Committee

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Companies that have not emphasized IT in the business process suffer long-term issues where IT is not seen as a value driven department.

One way to overcome this fact it to create an IT Steering Committee. The purpose of this governing group is to look at strategic initiatives and align them with overall business direction.

It is important to comprise this group with business leaders that can help sell and obtain buy in from others in the organization. Without this support major initiatives are doomed to fail.

An example of a charter should be as follows:

Function of the Executive IT Steering Committee

This Charter establishes the Executive Information Technology Steering Committee as the group responsible for providing executive leadership in the development of standards, policies, and the prioritization of various initiatives.

The Executive IT Steering Committee will provide a stabilizing influence so organizational concepts and directions are established and maintained with a visionary global view. The Steering Committee provides direction on long-term strategies in support of the company’s mandates and business vision. Members of the Steering Committee ensure that the company’s Information Technology needs and objectives are being adequately addressed. In practice these responsibilities are carried out by performing the following functions:

  • Identify and develop strategic initiatives
  • Prioritization of initiatives
  • Monitor and review initiatives at regular Steering Committee meetings
  • Develop and review standards and policies
  • Update standards and policies as emergent issues force changes to be considered, ensuring alignment with the Committee Charter as well as the objectives of the company
  • Quality of deliverables
  • Help to get buy-in across the organization
  • Act as a sounding board

IT Steering Committee Membership

The membership of the Steering Committee was designed in order to provide representation across the organization, and to include managers of both Operational (“line”) and Support (“staff”) functions. 

2 thoughts on “An IT Steering Committee”

  1. Hi Arun,

    One question: how do you convince reluctant business executives that there is value in this type of committee?

    Regards

    Reply ↓

    • You get them involved. I am facing that problem now and I decided to have them be a part of the committee. Reluctant executives might have e legitimate reason for being reluctant. I discovered in my converstaions that by talking with them one on one they had legitimate issues. I invited them to be a part of the committee so that they can feel that their voice is heard and some action taken to adress their issues.

      Reply ↓

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