Commettes

Commettes are small, informal committees formed within organizations to address a specific task or issue. They are intended to operate with agility, limited scope, and direct accountability to a parent body. Compared with larger standing committees, commettes typically have a narrow mandate, clearly defined deliverables, and expedited decision-making processes.

The term is a neologism and is not standardized across governance traditions. In some francophone and cross-cultural contexts, it can be seen as a diminutive form related to comités, used to signal a compact, task-focused variant of a committee. English-language usage of the plural commettes remains relatively uncommon outside particular circles.

Composition and governance usually involve a small membership, frequently 3 to 7 people, and a rotating or designated chair. Members are selected for relevant expertise or representatives of stakeholders. Committees meet regularly for a limited time, keep concise minutes, and operate under a charter or terms of reference. Decisions and recommendations are typically non-binding on the parent organization, requiring approval or ratification by the sponsoring body.

Functions and scope cover project oversight, policy pilots, program evaluation, or specific advisory tasks. Common outputs include brief reports, costings, option analyses, and recommended actions with timelines. Lifespan is generally finite, dissolving after achieving deliverables or once the parent body closes the mandate.

In context, commettes appear in educational boards, local government, nonprofit boards, and corporate innovation labs as a mechanism to accelerate focused work while preserving broader governance structures. Related concepts include committees, ad hoc groups, and working groups.