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Establish an Effective IT Steering Committee
Have the right people making the right decisions to drive IT success.
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Contributors
- Andy Lomasky, Manager, Technology & Management Consulting, McGladrey LLP
- Angie Embree, CIO, Best Friends Animal Society
- Corinne Bell, CTO and Director of IT Services, Landmark College
- John Hanskenecht, Director of Technology, University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy
- Lori Baker, CIO, Village of Northbrook
- Lynne Allard, IT Supervisor, Nipissing Parry Sound Catholic School Board
- Norman Allen, Senior IT Manager, Baker Tilly
- Paul Martinello, VP, IT Services, Cambridge and North Dumfries Hydro Inc.
- Renee Martinez, IT Director/CIO, City of Santa Fe
- Sam Wong, Director, IT, Seneca College
- Suzanne Barnes, Director, Information Systems, Pathfinder International
- Walt Joyce, CTO, Peoples Bank
Your Challenge
- Unfortunately, when CIOs implement IT steering committees, they often lack the appropriate structure and processes to be effective.
- Due to the high profile of the IT steering committee membership, CIOs need to get this right – or their reputation is at risk.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- 88% of IT steering committees fail. The organizations that succeed have clearly defined responsibilities that are based on business needs.
- Without a documented process your committee can’t execute on its responsibilities. Clearly define the flow of information to make your committee actionable.
- Limit your headaches by holding your IT steering committee accountable for defining project prioritization criteria.
Impact and Result
Leverage Info-Tech’s process and deliverables to see dramatic improvements in your business satisfaction through an effective IT steering committee. This blueprint will provide three core customizable deliverables that you can use to launch or optimize your IT steering committee:
- IT Steering Committee Charter: Use this template in combination with this blueprint to form a highly tailored committee.
- IT Steering Committee Stakeholder Presentation: Build understanding around the goals and purpose of the IT steering committee, and generate support from your leadership team.
- IT Steering Committee Project Prioritization Tool: Engage your IT steering committee participants in defining project prioritization criteria. Track project prioritization and assess your portfolio.
Start here – read the Executive Brief
Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should establish an IT steering committee, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the ways we can support you in completing this project.
1. Build the steering committee charter
Build your IT steering committee charter using results from the stakeholder survey.
2. Define IT steering commitee processes
Define your high level steering committee processes using SIPOC, and select your steering committee metrics.
3. Build the stakeholder presentation
Customize Info-Tech’s stakeholder presentation template to gain buy-in from your key IT steering committee stakeholders.
4. Define the prioritization criteria
Build the new project intake and prioritization process for your new IT steering committee.
Guided Implementations
This guided implementation is a twelve call advisory process.
Guided Implementation #1 - Build the steering committee charter
Call #1 - Launch your stakeholder survey
Call #2 - Analyze the results of the survey
Call #3 - Build your new ITSC charter
Call #4 - Review your completed charter
Guided Implementation #2 - Define IT steering committee processes
Call #1 - Build and review your SIPOC
Call #2 - Review your high-level steering committee processes
Guided Implementation #3 - Build the stakeholder presentation
Call #1 - Customize the presentation
Call #2 - Build a script for the presentation
Call #3 - Practice the presentation
Guided Implementation #4 - Define the prioritization criteria
Call #1 - Review and select prioritization criteria
Call #2 - Review the project prioritization tool
Call #3 - Review the results of the tool pilot test
Book Your Workshop
Onsite workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost onsite delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
Module 1: Build the IT Steering Committee
The Purpose
- Lay the foundation for your IT steering committee (ITSC) by surveying your stakeholders and identifying the opportunities and threats to implementing your ITSC.
Key Benefits Achieved
- An understanding of the business environment affecting your future ITSC and identification of strategies for engaging with stakeholders
Activities
Outputs
Launch stakeholder survey for business leaders.
- Report on business leader governance priorities and awareness
Analyze results with an Info-Tech advisor.
Identify opportunities and threats to successful IT steering committee implementation.
Develop the fit-for-purpose approach.
- Refined workshop agenda
Module 2: Define the ITSC Goals
The Purpose
- Define the goals and roles of your IT steering committee.
- Plan the responsibilities of your future committee members.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Groundwork for completing the steering committee charter
Activities
Outputs
Review the role of the IT steering committee.
- IT steering committee key responsibilities and participants identified
Identify IT steering committee goals and objectives.
- IT steering committee priorities identified
Conduct a SWOT analysis on the five governance areas
Define the key responsibilities of the ITSC.
Define ITSC participation.
Module 3: Define the ITSC Charter
The Purpose
- Document the information required to create an effective ITSC Charter.
- Create the procedures required for your IT steering committee.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for your steering committee
- Completed IT Steering Committee Charter document
Activities
Outputs
Build IT steering committee participant RACI.
- IT steering committee charter: procedures, agenda, and RACI
Define your responsibility cadence and agendas.
Develop IT steering committee procedures.
Define your IT steering committee purpose statement and goals.
- Defined purpose statement and goals
Module 4: Define the ITSC Process
The Purpose
- Define and test your IT steering committee processes.
- Get buy-in from your key stakeholders through your stakeholder presentation.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Stakeholder understanding of the purpose and procedures of IT steering committee membership
Activities
Outputs
Define your high-level IT steering committee processes.
- IT steering committee SIPOC maps
Conduct scenario testing on key processes, establish ITSC metrics.
Build your ITSC stakeholder presentation.
- Refined stakeholder presentation
Manage potential objections.
Module 5: Define Project Prioritization Criteria
The Purpose
Key Benefits Achieved
Activities
Outputs
Create prioritization criteria
- IT Steering Committee Project Prioritization Tool
Customize the project prioritization tool
Pilot test the tool
Define action plan and next steps
- Action plan
