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Innovation & Culture

Steering Committee

Don't let AI become fragmented across departments. A Steering Committee provides central expertise, standards, and support that accelerates adoption organization-wide.

What Is a Steering Committee?

A Steering Committee is a team dedicated to enabling successful AI adoption across your organization. They set standards, provide guidance, share best practices, and help teams implement AI solutions effectively and safely.

The Steering Committee isn't a bottleneck that controls all AI work. It's an enabler that makes teams more successful by providing expertise, tools, templates, and governance frameworks. They answer questions, review proposals, share learnings, and remove obstacles.

Mature Steering Committees balance enabling innovation with maintaining control. They make it easy to do the right thing while preventing costly mistakes. They celebrate successes, document failures as learning opportunities, and continuously evolve standards based on what works.

Why It Matters

Accelerate Learning

Teams benefit from collective knowledge instead of each solving the same problems independently.

Maintain Standards

Consistent approaches to security, governance, and quality across all AI initiatives.

Reduce Redundancy

Avoid multiple teams building similar solutions or licensing the same tools separately.

Provide Expert Support

Give teams access to AI expertise without hiring specialists in every department.

Build Confidence

Leaders feel comfortable approving AI projects knowing proper governance and review is in place.

Steering Committee Responsibilities

Standards & Governance

Define policies, best practices, and review processes for AI initiatives.

Tool Evaluation

Assess and recommend AI platforms, negotiate enterprise licenses, manage vendor relationships.

Training & Enablement

Develop training programs, office hours, and resources to build organizational capability.

Project Support

Provide guidance, review designs, troubleshoot issues, and share expertise.

Knowledge Sharing

Document learnings, maintain templates and examples, facilitate community of practice.

Metrics & Reporting

Track adoption, ROI, and impact across AI initiatives for leadership visibility.

Maturity Levels

Not Started / Planning

No central AI coordination. Teams work independently. Standards and practices vary. Knowledge stays siloed.

In Progress / Partial

Small team providing basic support. Limited governance enforcement. Reactive rather than proactive. Inconsistent engagement across organization.

Mature / Complete

Fully staffed Steering Committee with clear charter and executive support. Comprehensive governance framework. Active community of practice. Regular training and enablement. Metrics-driven improvement. Recognized as essential enabler of AI success.

How to Get Started

  1. 1.
    Define Charter and Scope: Clarify what the Steering Committee will and won't do, who it serves, and how success is measured.
  2. 2.
    Secure Executive Sponsorship: Get leadership commitment and budget for staffing and tools.
  3. 3.
    Start Small: Begin with 1-2 people focused on highest-priority needs like governance or tool evaluation.
  4. 4.
    Deliver Quick Wins: Help teams succeed with early projects to build credibility and demonstrate value.
  5. 5.
    Build Community: Create forums, office hours, and channels where people can connect and share learnings.
  6. 6.
    Document Standards: Publish clear guidelines on governance, security, tool selection, and best practices.
  7. 7.
    Expand Based on Need: Grow the team and services as demand and success justify additional investment.

Ready to Build Your AI Steering Committee?

Get expert help establishing a Steering Committee that enables innovation while maintaining governance and accelerating AI adoption organization-wide.