COMPEL Glossary / steering-committee
Steering Committee
A steering committee is a senior leadership body that provides strategic oversight, decision-making authority, cross-functional conflict resolution, and executive sponsorship for an AI transformation program.
What this means in practice
Typically meeting monthly, the steering committee reviews program progress, approves scope changes, allocates resources, resolves escalated issues, and ensures the program remains aligned with organizational strategy. For organizations, the steering committee is the critical governance mechanism that connects operational execution with strategic direction, preventing programs from drifting without executive awareness. In COMPEL, steering committee engagement is covered throughout the methodology, with specific guidance on preparing decision-ready materials (not information dumps), structuring effective committee interactions, and managing committee dynamics in Module 2.4, Article 7 on stakeholder management during execution.
Why it matters
The steering committee is the critical governance mechanism connecting operational execution with strategic direction, preventing AI programs from drifting without executive awareness. Without effective steering committee governance, transformation programs lose strategic alignment, resource allocation becomes ad hoc, and escalated issues go unresolved. The committee's monthly cadence provides the structured oversight that long-running transformation programs require.
How COMPEL uses it
Steering committee engagement is covered throughout the COMPEL methodology, with specific guidance on preparing decision-ready materials in Module 2.4, Article 7. During the Organize stage, the committee is chartered with clear terms of reference. The roadmap approved during Model serves as the committee's governance instrument. The Evaluate stage provides the performance data that enables informed committee decision-making.
Related Terms
Other glossary terms mentioned in this entry's definition and context.