
The RACI matrix is a responsibility assignment chart that maps out task, milestone and key decision involved in completing a project. It assigns which roles are Responsible for each action item, which personnel are Accountable, and, where appropriate, who needs to be Consulted or Informed on tasks.
The RACI matrix is a responsibility assignment chart that maps out every task, milestone or key decision involved in completing a project throughout the different phases. It assigns which roles are Responsible for each action item, which personnel are Accountable, and, where appropriate, who needs to be Consulted or Informed on tasks.
Responsible
A role that is “Responsible” for completing the task or deliverable.
Accountable
A role that is “Accountable” has the final authority or accountability for the task’s completion.
Consulted
A role that is “Consulted” is an adviser to a task. Advisers should be considered carefully as too many people in this role can stretch the task time and raise the risk of poor performance.
Informed
A role that is “Informed” is kept up to date on task completion. Charting this role helps to illustrate dependencies and also ensures that transparency into task status exists. Identifying those who require status updates can be complex, so it is worthwhile to take the time to consult various roles to determine if they need to know when a task is completed.
The RACI matrix is a project management tool that visually displays different roles for each member involved in a project and the different level of involvement from each role on the different tasks.
This tool should be created in collaboration with your Project Board and Project Team.
It is not a set piece but a ever changing and developing tool and should be updated throughout your project.
The tool is a great way of displaying clear roles and responsibilities eliminating confusion that may come up through the life of your project.
RACI places equal weighting to each role and encourages communication between roles which will aid to smooth running of your project.
There are 5 key steps to using a RACI Matrix.
A Basic RACI Matrix template for those in small teams wanting to quickly allocate responsibilities on limited tasks.
A RACI Matrix template for Project Managers or those in larger teams with multiple stakeholder groups.