Responsibility matrix (RACI)

When everyone is responsible, nobody is. This skill gives each task and each decision exactly one accountable person, and shows who must be consulted or simply informed.

When to use

• After work-breakdown, as soon as several people share the work.
• When tasks fall through the cracks or two people think they own the same decision.
• Not to map influence and communication: use stakeholder-map.

Inputs

1. The task list or the main decisions of the project.
2. The people involved and their availability.

Method

1. List the rows: the main tasks and, separately, the main decisions (budget, choice of supplier, go-live date).
2. List the columns: the people or roles involved.
3. Fill the matrix: R (responsible: does the work), A (accountable: approves and answers for the result), C (consulted before: two-way), I (informed after: one-way).
4. Apply the rules: exactly one A per row; at least one R per row; few C, because each C slows things down; the A can also be the R on small projects.
5. Check the matrix: rows without A or R (gaps), people with too many R (overload), people with only I on things they care about (future conflict).
6. Share it and confirm it with each person; update it when someone joins or leaves.

Output

### RACI: <project> (version <n>, <date>)
| Task or decision | Person 1 | Person 2 | Person 3 | Person 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| … | A, R | C | I | – |

Gaps: … | Overloads: … | To confirm with: …

Quality bar

• Every row has exactly one A and at least one R.
• Decisions are listed, not only tasks.
• Overloads and gaps are named, with a fix.
• Written in the user's language, with the terms below.

Terminology

Sources

• Project Management Institute. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) (7th ed.). Project Management Institute.