19. Lesson: Use of Committees
Do not use committees for decisions. Committees are advisors and consultants.
Background:
Committees are useful agents to compile information and to discuss and explore issues. Committees which are addressing subjects which are controversial and upon which there are diverse views, tend to arrive at compromise decisions or the position of the dominant personality. Committees which have simple subjects or a unanimity of opinion were not necessary. A clear cut responsibility for the consequences of a specific decision is frequently lacking, and, indeed, a committee cannot execute an action resulting from a decision.
Decision makers should make maximum use of all information channels prior to passing judgement. Committees are useful to bring together for discussing all sides of the issues and are quite useful tools to ensure that all nuances of a particular path are uncovered. To ensure that this occurs, committee membership should include individuals who represent all aspects of the issue.
Responsibility for a decision must accompany the authority for a decision.
These lessons learned are from SKYLAB LESSONS LEARNED AS APPLICABLE TO A LARGE SPACE STATION, A dissertation submitted to the faculty of The School of Engineering and Architecture Of the Catholic University of America For the Degree Doctor of Engineering by William C. Schneider, Washington, D.C., 1976.
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