Systems Review Committee
Most large companies use a systems review committee to evaluate systems requests.
Instead of relying on a single individual, a committee approach provides a variety of experience and knowledge. With a broader viewpoint, a committee can establish priorities
more effectively than an individual, and one person’s bias is less likely to affect the decisions. A typical committee consists of the IT director and several managers from other
departments. The IT director usually serves as a technical consultant to ensure that committee members are aware of crucial issues, problems, and opportunities.
Although a committee offers many advantages, some disadvantages exist. For
example, action on requests must wait until the committee meets. To avoid delay,
committee members typically use e-mail and teleconferencing to communicate.
Another potential disadvantage of a committee is that members might favor projects
requested by their own departments, and internal political differences could delay
important decisions.