Steering group

People who give strategic support to the project sponsor.

The steering group:

• Eliminates obstacles to the project.
• Supports the project manager and sponsor.
• Helps anchor the project with various stakeholders.
• Follows up the project results and takes decisions that lie outside the sponsor’s mandate.
• Participates in prioritizing resource usage.
• Work with the sponsor to align the project’s objectives with organizational strategy.

Carefully question the need for a steering group, it will often be enough to have one committed sponsor. Keep any steering group small/compact and be sure to clarify the respective roles for its members.

Steering groups can be common for several projects, or specifically tailored for an individual project.

If many projects are being run at once, the steering group may be common to several projects within that part of the organization. Work in the group is then often focused on coordinating the common project portfolio.

In a tailored steering group the project sponsor should have the chair. The steering group assists and supports the project sponsor but does not take over the sponsor’s responsibility.