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10 Well-Defined Roles and Responsibilities Templates to Establish Accountability

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

February 13, 2024

Hiring a team of experts doesn’t guarantee success if you haven’t established team roles and responsibilities precisely. 🧑‍🤝‍🧑

Poor job definitions can lead to misunderstandings, reduced focus, botched deliveries, work overlaps, improper resource utilization , and employee dissatisfaction. According to a survey by Effectory , 75% of employees with job role clarity report better satisfaction levels at work.

Defining roles, responsibilities, and even procedures is part of every leader’s playbook. But the process can be exhausting and time-consuming, especially if you’re running a large team. Luckily, you don’t have to start from scratch, thanks to roles and responsibilities templates.

We’ll discuss the top 10 templates for establishing duties and hierarchical flows within your organization. Our crisp reviews will help you find the right template in no time!

What Is a Roles and Responsibilities Template?

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The success of any company, regardless of its size and line of work, depends on how well its employees understand and carry out their duties. Leaders and HR managers can use a roles and responsibilities template to present a full range of duties, job responsibilities, and delivery expectations for the role.

Its default sections typically come with guidelines to help you clarify:

• The job title with desired competencies and skills
• Reporting department(s) or project managers to align with
• Hierarchical communication flows (i.e., who the employee reports to)
• A breakdown of key responsibilities and other team members’ roles
• KPIs and metrics for evaluation

A responsibility template helps you design job duties in line with team goals and objectives . Besides preventing miscommunication, it’s useful for:

• Performance evaluation : The defined performance metrics help you measure how well team members are performing against their marked roles
• HR : To-the-point job descriptions help the HR department find suitable hires
• Employee development : Duty-aware teammates are more likely to develop their skills and participate in decision-making processes with confidence
• Low turnover : Clearly defined roles eliminate the element of confusion from the equation, promoting a sense of job security and reducing employee turnover

A good roles and responsibilities template should have the following characteristics:

• Clear structure : The template should be easy to follow and have clear sections discussing various aspects of a job role, from responsibilities to hierarchical presets
• Progress monitoring : Many top templates offer options to track employees’ progress , making the document useful for evaluation exercises
• Customization features : Since the job profile may change due to expansion or restructuring events, the template should have room for effortless section updates
• Accessibility : Relevant teammates, like performance evaluators and team leaders, should be able to access the document
• Collaborative support: The template should allow for contributions from different project heads, especially if the job entails duties overarching several departments

10 Roles and Responsibilities Templates to Use in 2024

We’ve checked out dozens of roles and responsibilities templates and selected the top 10 options that can be applied to a variety of modern roles. Let’s get right to it! 🤩

The success of any project depends on organization—there should be a clear outline of who does what, how, and when. The ClickUp Project Management Roles and Responsibilities Template helps you create a concise yet comprehensive summary of every employee’s involvement in a project and ensure maximum transparency.

The template’s charm lies in its versatility —it can be used for all niches, from developing AI software to manufacturing Barbie dolls. 💗

Its carefully created sections help you define roles, assign responsibilities, and plan projects. You start with a general Project Name section outlining your project’s goals and objectives .

Some noteworthy project-friendly sections include:

• Meet the Team : This is where you’ll mention the people involved in the project and discuss their responsibilities. You can be as detailed as you want—there’s no maximum character limit to worry about!
• Project Timeline : Break down the work into smaller, easier-to-manage chunks (tasks), set targets, and represent them on a timeline 
• Budget and Resources : Estimate how much every activity will cost and leave room to present actual overheads. You can compare the two for proper resource allocation in the future

Attach the template to tasks and create a centralized repository of project info for your team. You can use this template as an external doc —share it with your stakeholders and partners to inform them about your latest projects, introduce them to your team, and keep them in the loop about updates.

Defining the responsibilities of every individual in your team isn’t enough—you need to outline how different roles interplay with each other and explain every employee’s level of access and permissions.

Do this with the ClickUp Roles and Permission Matrix Template and ensure efficient teamwork and top-notch communication that flows in the right direction. 🌊

The template ensures every team member knows who they report to and prevents mix-ups by setting a transparent hierarchical chain of command. It offers two List views (Internal Tasks and External Tasks) and a Board view (Department Tasks).

The Internal Tasks view defines tasks alongside the internal roles necessary for approval-based workflows . Provide info about the department (such as Sales, Operations, or Marketing) and put a checkmark below the roles involved in a task. Determine the person in charge and leave additional comments in the Remarks field. The External Tasks view is similar to the previous one, only in this case, the focus is on external roles like wholesalers, freelancers, and retailers.

The Department Tasks view is a Kanban board where tasks from the previous views are displayed as cards and grouped by the department in charge (such as Marketing, HR, or Customer Service ). Use it to visualize team workloads.

The template offers multiple job roles by default, such as CEO, vice president, team leader, and head of HR, but you can update the database to align with your company’s structure.

Implementing security protocols is a critical part of protecting an organization’s digital assets, but it can be tiring to define employee access levels. The ClickUp Role-Based Access Control Matrix Template simplifies the process of assigning suitable access controls.

The template is designed keeping the role-based access control (RBAC) approach in mind. You can define each employee’s level of access to sensitive information to prevent security breaches and improve data-backed decision-making processes.

This template mainly helps set these protocols with the help of three views .

The most handy view is the Access Control Matrix view . This is where you define items specific to your line of work and customize the access levels for each. ClickUp provides seven access control levels:

Choose what each user role can do with specific items by selecting one or more access control levels from the dropdown list.

The other two views (External Users and Internal Users view) let you see tasks grouped according to the role type. Customize the roles based on your organization’s hierarchy.

A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) is a project management chart that outlines the roles of all people involved in an initiative. The ClickUp Responsibility Assignment Matrix Template sets you up with a readymade chart that helps visualize how each staff member contributes to a project.

This is a Whiteboard template. For the uninitiated, ClickUp Whiteboards are highly customizable digital tools ideal for visualizing ideas, brainstorming, and working with your team in real time, regardless of your location.

This template gives you a Whiteboard with an expert-crafted matrix . Its columns represent different processes, while the rows showcase individual employees. Just download the free template and rename the names of columns and rows according to your needs.

Add a visual flair to your RAM with the help of emojis. By default, ClickUp offers four emojis to describe who’s:

• Responsible ⚒️
• Accountable 🦾
• Consulted 💼

Once completed, the visual grid becomes a common source of identifying key personnel and communication exercises.

You guessed it—the ClickUp RACI Matrix Template is based on the RACI ( Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed ) matrix. Fundamentally, it is similar in spirit to the previous template we discussed. But this one has a more intricate design to support task monitoring.

Using the RACI template is fairly simple, even if you’re new to the RACI philosophy. We recommend starting from the Matrix view —this is where you’ll assign team roles for the four RACI elements. Edit job roles to match your company’s structure.

The template offers different view configurations to monitor the tasks. For example, the Project Status view is ideal for setting realistic deadlines and monitoring the progress of each task. You can create and assign tasks for each role and add status attributes like Blocked, Complete, In Progress, Internal Review, and To Do.

The Project Team view is more appropriate for tracking individual task assignments. The Project Leadership view gives your team members a quick insight into who’s responsible for a particular task or subtask. As for the External Resource view, it compiles all external assets you need to deliver your work.

The DACI model is a decision-making framework based on assigning specific roles to team members to accelerate and streamline processes and avoid confusion. ‘DACI’ is an acronym for Driver, Approver, Contributor, and Informed . The ClickUp DACI Model Template follows this framework to the T.

Its multiple views let you assign the right labels to your team and map out the line of accountability. Start with the DACI List view to add tasks to team members, define a priority status, and the decision-making stage. Other hands-on views include:

• Priorities view : For defining which tasks should be completed first. You can add notes for additional explanations or valuable tips
• DACI Board view : This is a Kanban board displaying tasks from the DACI List view as cards. It sorts task cards based on the decision-making stage (such as Background , Data Gathering , and Alternatives ). Change the sorting criteria by pressing the Group By button at the top-right corner of the screen
• Board view : This Kanban board sorts tasks based on their status, which can be Not Started , In Progress , and Complete

Like other ClickUp templates, this one is 100% customizable —tailor your Custom Fields , add new views, and edit sections to ensure your DACI exercise aligns with your business.

If you love RACI layouts for defining team roles, we have another stellar option for you! The ClickUp RACI Planning Template can be your go-to for providing role clarity, visualizing and improving processes , and identifying the people responsible for completing tasks, giving advice, or making decisions.

This is a Doc template and doesn’t come with multiple views, but that doesn’t make it any less valuable. It’s an ideal tool for leaders who want to create a single-source visual outline of project activities and user roles. Since it’s based on the RACI approach, you categorize users based on the following categories:

• Responsible : This is the task owner, the person responsible for the completion
• Accountable : For users expected to participate in core decision-making
• Consulted : Use this classification for users who offer input but don’t participate in decision-making. They won’t be responsible for the project’s completion or success
• Informed : This is for users who stay up-to-date regarding the project’s progress but don’t typically participate in decision-making

This template offers a table with job positions and project activities . Determine the role of every person involved in the project by placing R, A, C, or I in the corresponding field. Color-code the fields for easier distinction and share the table with your team to keep everyone on the same page.

For most businesses, standard operating procedures (SOPs) are the treasure maps to success. 🪙

The ClickUp Job Responsibility SOP Template lets you create a detailed role-based SOP . It can contain instructions on how to complete different tasks, maintain quality work, and be efficient. The template ensures your employees adopt a standardized approach to their job, minimizing the risk of errors.

The SOP template offers premade sections with industry-standard texts to define SOPs loud and clear. Fill out the purpose, scope, and procedure sections and add extra resources at the bottom of the doc (if necessary).

If you’re new to writing SOPs, follow the template’s built-in guide to proceed. You can easily outline delegation chains and include communication precursors that you expect to be followed.

To make your SOP more action-oriented, tweak the template’s purpose section and use it as a statement of work (SOW) . Define the SOW further by adding project scope, objectives, timelines, and project deliverables and explaining who does what and when.

Have an open position to fill? The Microsoft Word Job Description Template by Betterteam helps you describe the position in detail through an organized structure.

You have four sections— Reports To, Job Overview, Responsibilities and Duties, and Qualifications . Every section comes with guidelines on what to write and how. For example, in the Qualifications part, the template instructs you to include bullet points like education level, experience, or specific skills you’re looking for to attract suitable candidates.

The template’s Microsoft Word format makes it 100% customizable . Add extra sections, change fonts, and adjust the template to match your company’s branding.

Shine clarity on job positions within your company and facilitate role transparency with the Microsoft Word Job Roles and Responsibilities Template by Template.net.

The template provides the perfect framework for creating job ads —it defines the job title, position type, department, and chain of command. The meat of the template focuses on nailing a detailed job description. This is where you include every piece of info about the job that will help you attract the right candidates.

The roles and responsibilities document template is available in Microsoft Word and Google Docs format , so you can choose the one you prefer. While it may not boast advanced collaboration and visualization options, the template is ideal for those who want a solution with no bells and whistles. 🔔

You can tweak its sections to get the desired results. For example, include a section about special skills the job requires, be it holding a specific certificate or speaking a foreign language.

Build Your Perfect Team With These Roles and Responsibilities Templates

Perfect teams are not assembled randomly—they’re put together with care.

Without defined employee roles and responsibilities, your company is like a ship at sea with no compass and a deck full of untrained sailors. No matter how hard they try, the ship will never reach its destination. ⛴️

Use our listed templates to provide direction to your team and make the most of their skills. Explore 1,000+ other templates in ClickUp’s library and find tools to support various business processes in a jiff!

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Job Descriptions .

How to write a job description (with examples), how to write a job description.

Job descriptions are the cornerstone of the recruiting process. They help to attract top talent, set expectations for qualified candidates, inform prospects about the role and company, and streamline the search process. Plus, a well-written job description gives companies a chance to make a great first impression. So while writing accurate and compelling job descriptions can be frustrating, finding the time and resources to do so is well worth it.

Importance of Job Descriptions

No matter how many job descriptions you write, they never seem to get any easier, especially if you are writing them for roles you know little about. We’re here to help. For starters, let’s discuss the importance of job descriptions, and then we’ll tackle how to write them.

Job descriptions are helpful for both prospective candidates and employers. Here’s why:

Attract Prospective Candidates

A concise and compelling job description will play a major role in attracting qualified candidates. With resources like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and email, the ability to post and share jobs is instantaneous and has exponential reachability.

Set Expectations

A clear job description will set everyone up for success. Prospects will understand what is expected of them, more-qualified candidates will apply, under-qualified applicants will move on and you will save loads of time sifting through applications and communicating with potential candidates.

Prepare for Interviews

A well-crafted job description can help both applicants and interviewers prep for the big day . Applicants will be able to prepare for likely topics of conversation and interview teams will be equipped to ask questions that will accurately gauge the candidate’s qualifications.

Make a Stellar First Impression

Job descriptions are often the first point of contact candidates will have with your company and can shape their first impression. Just like resumes and CVs, any jargon or grammatical errors will turn a candidate off and leave a lasting negative impression.

Simplify the Search

Searching for jobs is incredibly time-consuming, especially for the 73 percent of candidates who are passive and currently employed. Clear and concise job descriptions help prospects compare salaries, benefits, perks and even company culture to determine what roles are worth applying to.

Establish a Baseline

Once a candidate is hired, the job description will stand as a baseline to measure growth, reference during performance reviews and consider future training opportunities.

Recommended Reading 29 Recruitment Strategies With Real Examples

Great job descriptions are thorough yet concise. They use specific terms and keep a professional tone. It’s OK to be a little quirky, but don’t overdo it. If you don’t take the job description seriously, top candidates will move on to other opportunities.

Important Parts of a Job Description

• Company Bio/Mission

Role Summary

• Role Responsibilities
• Role Requirements (Must-Have Skills)
• Time/Location
• Next Steps (How to Apply)

Here’s an outline of the main sections every job description should include.

Make the job title clear, concise and industry-specific.

43 percent of job seekers look for career opportunities on job boards that use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques. Job seekers are also likely to search based on the terms they know, so don’t stray from the standard industry language of common job titles. Be sure to include specific terms, like the programs required for the role. The title Lead Front End AngularJS Engineer is much more descriptive than Developer and will attract more qualified candidates. If your job can’t be found, it can’t be applied to.

Company Mission

Include a company description or mission, but keep it to about two to four sentences.

72 percent of job seekers noted they would be more likely to apply to a job posting with a company description. At the same time, don’t get too lost in the details. Most companies have a lengthy mission statement with core values and a culture code. For candidates looking at multiple companies and open roles, the missions start to sound the same. If candidates decide to pursue the position, they can read about the company’s full profile on the website. 

Consider writing a templated version that can be repurposed whenever you need to write a new job post. It’s also more common to include the company description or mission at the beginning of the post.

Write a brief three to five sentence summary about what the candidate will do in their role, who they’ll work with and any general qualities your team is looking for in the individual.

Job Responsibilities

90 percent of top-performing job descriptions include clear responsibilities and duties, according to Built In research. Responsibilities and duties are essential in order for a candidate to understand the role. They also set expectations for the hired employee and can be used as a baseline for performance reviews down the line.

Give five to 10 bullet points on what the candidate can expect to do in the role. Here are a few tips:

• Write in complete sentences.
• Be thorough. Candidates will be better prepared for the interview and role if they know what is expected of them.
• Don’t be excessive. You don’t need to include every single possible thing a person might encounter during the work day.

Must-Have Skills

Job descriptions include an average of eight distinct qualifications per job post (including must-have and nice-to-have skills), according to Built In research. List five to seven bullet points that are absolutely necessary for a candidate to be successful in the role they are applying to.

• Include quantities when applicable, like years of experience.
• Be sure to clarify what the application requires, like a portfolio, writing sample, video recording, resume, CV, cover letter, etc.
• Other important information includes education, experience, certifications and knowledge of specific platforms.

Nice-to-Have Skills

If there are any other qualities that are nice to have, include those here. Don’t feel like you have to include this section, but it may help candidates know what to include in the application or interview to stand out. This section is lower priority and should have fewer bullet points. 

Compensation

61 percent  consider compensation information to be the most important part of a job description. However, 99 percent of top-performing job descriptions don’t include compensation information, according to Built In research. Many companies still refuse to provide this information in job descriptions, but it’s time to get over this discomfort to garner a larger applicant pool.

It’s best to be upfront about the time frame you need employees to work. Flexible work hours are more common for full-time employees, time zones may play a role, and certain industries and markets work around different schedules.

Candidates will consider commute time or relocation efforts in their employment decision, so help them determine fit before they embark on the application process. Embedding a Google Map onto your website is really quite simple and can be done with this guide .

Working Conditions

Keep working conditions and workplace expectations clear. People want to know what to expect in their future work environment. Are there any physical requirements for the role? What is the expected dress code?

Call to Action

Make sure it is blatantly obvious where a candidate is supposed to apply. Do not make it complicated or frustrating to apply because that’s just going to reduce your applicant pool for the wrong reasons. This is one area that companies should customize to the location the job is being posted. Make sure they know where to click or who to email to get the process started. 

Disclaimer Statements

Most companies include an equal opportunity employer statement and that the employee may be required to perform additional job functions beyond the description. Do your research because disclaimers can help companies prevent serious lawsuits .

Elements to Improve Job Descriptions

Some companies include additional details in their job descriptions to help differentiate them from other employers. There’s certainly a balance between writing a thorough job description and being excessive, and that’s up to your team to decide. Here are a few additional sections to consider including in your job description. While these items are optional, they may turn a good job description into a great one.

Non-financial benefits are often a deciding factor for prospective candidates —  61 percent of job seekers expect to see benefits packages in job descriptions, yet only 43 percent of top-performing job descriptions included such information, according to Built In research.

Things to include are your company’s:

• Health insurance and wellness plans
• Retirement and stock options offerings
• Childcare and parental leave options
• Vacation and PTO policies

Remember that perks are not the same thing as benefits. Perks are nice add-ons the company offers its employees to improve work-life balance and help them live happier, more productive lives. 

Company Culture

Sure, it’s a buzzword, but the people have spoken and the best candidates expect a strong company culture . In fact, 47 percent  say that company culture is the main reason they’re searching for new opportunities.

Word Count 

It’s best to keep your job description in the 250 to 500 word count range, as supported by a study that found the majority of job postings had a similar word count trend. Top-performing job descriptions contain an average word count of 457 words, based on Built In findings. 

Average word count also correlates with average time on page for job descriptions. Job descriptions with a word count between 251 to 500 words see an average time on page of one minute and 39 seconds (1:39), which is closest to the average job description reading time of one minute and 41 seconds (1:41). It’s clear that job descriptions which adhere to word count best practices are much more engaging than their lower-performing counterparts. 

16 percent of job descriptions as analyzed by Built In contain obvious typos, which could be detrimental to applicant reach and a company trustworthiness. Similar to how many recruiters disregard applicants with typos on their resume or application, candidates may come away with a negative impression of your company for not doing its due diligence. Remember to always have at least one other person read your job description before posting.

Job Description Examples

Job descriptions aren’t one-size-fits-all. While the company bio and mission statement sections may remain the same for each role a company posts, the main sections — which include role responsibilities and requirements — should be uniquely tailored to the job at hand.

For instance, a job description for a highly specialized role will usually go into more detail about the types of tools and software programs qualified candidates are expected to possess, while a JD for an entry-level role may spend more time broadly discussing the mentality or passions a candidate should have. In any case, job descriptions that have enough detail specific to the role gives job-seekers a better sense of the position and it gives you an opportunity to make a positive first impression.

Below we’ve rounded up some in-depth guides and job description templates for several roles:

Creative Roles

• Art Director Job Description
• Technical Writer Job Description  
• UX Designer Job Description

Data and Analytics Roles

• Business Intelligence Analyst Job Description
• Data Analyst Job Description
• Data Scientist Job Description  

Developer Roles

• Front End Developer Job Description
• iOS Developer Job Description
• Java Developer Job Description
• PHP Developer Job Description
• Product Manager Job Description
• Salesforce Developer Job Description

Operations Roles

• Operations Manager Job Description
• DevOp Job Description  
• Project Manager Job Description

Marketing Roles

• Marketing Manager Job Description

Sales Roles

• Account Executive Job Description
• Account Manager Job Description
• Customer Success Manager Job Description  
• Sales Development Representative Job Description  
• Sales Engineer Job Description
• Sales Operations Manager Job Description

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How to Define Roles & Responsibilities: The Essential Guide

Roles and responsibilities are essential for high-performing teams and effective project management. They offer structure, clarity, and accountability for the project team. Yet, they sometimes slip the radar of management priorities despite their undeniable significance and advantages.

I’ve been in a situation where unclear roles caused tension and challenges. It’s tough when everyone’s unsure about their tasks, leading to misunderstandings and frustration. I want to extend my support to anyone who’s experienced this, as I understand firsthand how unsettling it can be. You’re not alone, and it’s okay to seek clarity and support in such situations.

That’s why this article was born, to shine a light on why roles and responsibilities are sometimes left to chance and how to turn this ship around. Here’s what I’ll cover:

• What are roles and responsibilities?

Why roles and responsibilities are sometimes left to chance

The importance of defining roles and responsibilities, the danger of not setting roles and responsibilities, how to define roles and responsibilities.

• Roles and responsibilities best practices

But first things first, let’s look into what is meant by roles and responsibilities. 

What are roles and responsibilities, exactly?

In essence, roles and responsibilities define the specific functions, tasks, duties, and authorities assigned to individuals within an organization or a project. They provide clarity on who is accountable for what, ensuring that work is efficiently distributed and executed. Here’s a breakdown of each:

• Roles refer to the positions or titles that individuals hold within an organization or project. Each role typically has a specific purpose and set of responsibilities associated with it.
• Example roles in a project might include Project Manager, Developer, Designer, QA Engineer, Business Analyst, etc.
• Roles are defined based on the skills, expertise, and functions required to achieve the objectives of the project or organization.

Responsibilities:

• Responsibilities outline the tasks, duties, and obligations that are associated with a particular role.
• Responsibilities are specific actions or outcomes that individuals are expected to accomplish within their role.
• Responsibilities can vary depending on the nature of the project, the organization’s structure, and the individual’s expertise.
• Example responsibilities for a Developer role might include writing code, debugging software, attending code review meetings, and collaborating with other team members to deliver features on time.

Now that we’ve explained what roles and responsibilities mean, here goes my favorite part on why they can be overlooked in the process. One thing I can tell for sure, no one forgets about them on purpose. 

Assigning roles and responsibilities within organizations sometimes takes a backseat for several reasons:

1. Lack of clarity

Sometimes, there is a lack of clarity about what roles and responsibilities are needed within a team or organization. Without clear guidelines or understanding of who should do what, individuals may take on tasks based on personal preferences or assumptions, rather than strategic alignment.

2. Informal structures

In some environments, especially smaller or newer organizations, formal structures for assigning roles and responsibilities may not be established. This can lead to ad-hoc decision-making and informal delegation based on whoever takes initiative or has the most expertise in a particular area.

3. Rapid growth or change

Organizations experiencing rapid growth or undergoing significant changes may struggle to keep up with defining and assigning roles and responsibilities. In such dynamic environments, priorities may shift quickly, making it challenging to establish and maintain clear role definitions.

4. Limited resources

In resource-constrained environments, particularly in startups or small businesses, there may be limited capacity to dedicate time and effort to formalizing role assignments. As a result, responsibilities may be distributed based on immediate needs or whoever is available to take on tasks.

5. Lack of skills or expertise 

In some cases, there may be a lack of expertise or understanding about the importance of role clarity and delegation within the organization. Leaders or managers may not have the necessary skills or knowledge to effectively assign roles and responsibilities, leading to a more informal approach.

6. Organizational culture

Organizational culture can also play a role in how roles and responsibilities are assigned. In some cultures, there may be a preference for flexibility and autonomy, leading to a more laissez-faire approach to role assignment where individuals have the freedom to define their own responsibilities.

7. Avoidance of conflict 

Assigning roles and responsibilities can sometimes lead to conflicts or disagreements within teams or among stakeholders. To avoid conflict or confrontation, leaders may choose to ignore role assignments rather than engaging in potentially difficult conversations.

Regardless of the reasons, organizations need to recognize the importance of clear role definition and delegation for effective teamwork and productivity.

Clear roles and responsibilities provide several crucial benefits:

• Clarity : Everyone knows what they’re supposed to do, reducing confusion and the likelihood of stepping on each other’s toes.
• Efficiency : When tasks are clearly assigned, there’s less time wasted on figuring out who should do what, allowing the team to focus on execution.
• Accountability : With defined roles comes clear accountability. Team members know who is responsible for what, making it easier to address issues and celebrate successes.
• Team cohesion: When everyone understands their role within the team, it fosters a sense of belonging and unity, crucial for effective collaboration.

When roles and responsibilities are not defined, chaos ensues. Here’s what exactly can happen:

Confusion reigns supreme 

Imagine a game of soccer where players scramble around the field with no positions assigned. Chaos, right? Similarly, in a team without defined roles, confusion becomes the norm. Who’s supposed to tackle that critical task? Who should provide feedback on the project? Without clear answers, productivity takes a nosedive, and frustration levels skyrocket.

Duplicated efforts, wasted resources

Ever witnessed two team members unknowingly working on the same task because nobody communicated who’s responsible? It’s a common tale in teams plagued by role ambiguity. Not only does this lead to duplicated efforts, but it also wastes valuable time and resources that could have been allocated elsewhere.

The blame game begins

In the absence of clear accountability, finger-pointing becomes a favorite pastime. When something goes wrong, there’s a flurry of excuses and accusations, but little resolution. Without defined roles, team members are left in the dark about who’s responsible for what, creating a breeding ground for resentment and discord.

Stagnant growth and missed opportunities

When team members are unsure of their roles or feel disconnected from the team’s objectives, motivation takes a nosedive. Innovation takes a backseat, and opportunities for growth and improvement slip through the cracks. Without a clear roadmap, the team meanders aimlessly, missing out on chances to excel and thrive.

Now that we’ve established why it’s important and considered all the related dangers, let’s talk about how to actually define roles and responsibilities within your team.

The best way to define roles and responsibilities is to put your heads together with a team and set expectations on what everyone will be doing on a project, recording it in a manner that works best for you. Let’s look at the example from a software development team: 

• Project Manager: Overall project planning, scheduling, budget management, risk management, and stakeholder communication.
• Developers: Writing code, implementing features, and ensuring code quality.
• QA Engineers: Testing software, identifying bugs, and ensuring product quality.
• Business Analyst: Gathering and analyzing requirements, documenting user stories, and ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Deployment Specialists: Managing the deployment process, ensuring smooth rollout, and providing post-deployment support.

For the sake of even better alignment, the best advice would be to use a RACI matrix. A RACI matrix helps clarify who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed for each task or deliverable.

Roles and responsibilities best practices 

The process of identifying roles and responsibilities is quite straightforward, but you may want to consider the following best practices: 

Start with the big picture

Before diving into the nitty-gritty details, take a step back and define the overarching goals and objectives of the team. This provides context for individual roles and helps ensure alignment with the team’s mission.

Identify core functions 

Break down the team’s responsibilities into key functions or areas of expertise. This could be based on skill sets, knowledge, or specific job roles. 

Clarify expectations

For each function or role, clearly outline the tasks, duties, and expectations. Be specific about what success looks like and any performance metrics or deadlines associated with each responsibility.

Assign roles strategically 

Take into account each team member’s strengths, interests, and expertise when assigning roles. Strive for balance and ensure that everyone has a meaningful contribution to make.

Encourage collaboration

While individual roles are important, emphasize the interconnectedness of the team and encourage collaboration across functions. Clearly define communication channels and expectations for sharing information and updates.

Regularly review and adjust

Roles and responsibilities aren’t set in stone. As the team evolves and projects change, be prepared to review and adjust roles accordingly. Solicit feedback from team members to ensure that roles remain relevant and aligned with the team’s objectives.

Frequently asked questions

How do you handle overlapping roles and responsibilities.

Overlapping responsibilities occur when more than one individual is responsible for one task. It’s more efficient to assign a single person to each activity to avoid it. When responsibilities overlap, it can result in tasks being neglected as each person may assume the other is handling it, ultimately harming work relationships and productivity.

To manage overlapping roles and responsibilities effectively, clear communication and documentation are key. Establishing a framework for collaboration that includes regular meetings and updates can help team members understand their shared objectives and how their work intersects. 

Managing work using Kanban software or any other task management tool where everyone has a card assigned to them with a task description is usually enough to avoid the confusion. If there’s a task that involves multiple individuals, it’s best to split it into subtasks with clear assignees and set dependencies. This is especially important when you work remotely. 

Final thoughts

Defining roles and responsibilities is not a one-and-done task. It’s an ongoing process that requires communication, collaboration, and adaptability. By investing the time and effort upfront to establish clear expectations, you’re setting your team up for success and laying the groundwork for a cohesive and high-performing group. So, roll up your sleeves, gather your team, and start defining those roles. Your future selves will thank you for it!

Continue reading:

• What Successful Project Managers Do Differently
• Understanding 5 Different Types of Teams
• 7 Project Scheduling Tools of the Highest Calibre

Related Posts:

Editor-in-Chief and Founder of PM Column. Iryna doesn't imagine her life without eating tomatoes and writing project management articles. She has raised two project management blogs from scratch and written for Epicflow, TechRadar, and Project Manager Today.

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4 ways to establish roles and responsibilities for team success

It’s challenging to stick to a project plan without clear roles and responsibilities. When you define team roles, you can help teammates collaborate and work through projects more efficiently. In this guide, we’ll explain how to establish roles and responsibilities and why doing so will benefit your team.

You know that chaotic feeling of managing a project where roles and responsibilities are unclear? As one team member moves forward with the design, another moves forward with content. Both team members write the copy included in the images, assuming this is part of their role. Because of the miscommunication and duplicated work, the copy takes longer to deliver and you must delay the project.

In this guide, we’ll explain how to establish roles and responsibilities and why doing so will benefit your team.

1. Determine what needs to get done

You can use the following steps when identifying roles and responsibilities at both the organizational and project level. The first step when defining team roles is to determine the various tasks that need to get done. Some questions you can ask to identify these tasks include:

Were past projects completed successfully?

If not, what could have been done better?

What tasks are still on your team’s to-do list?

What tasks does each team member complete daily?

Are these tasks part of each team member’s job description?

When you know how much work needs to get done, you can delegate tasks accordingly.

2. Identify gaps in responsibilities

While this step is most relevant when defining roles at the organizational level, you may also have gaps in responsibilities when working on projects.

After creating your to-do list , compare and contrast these tasks with what team members are doing. This comparison will help you identify any gaps in responsibilities. These gaps may occur unintentionally if team members’ original job description is unclear or if they get pulled into other tasks by others.

When you identify gaps in responsibilities, these gaps become your starting point for team realignment. You can then move team members back to their intended roles and figure out who should take over any additional tasks they were handling.

3. Clarify roles using a RACI matrix

A RACI matrix is a great tool for clarifying team member roles. RACI stands for responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed. You can set up a RACI matrix—or a table—with your tasks on the Y-axis and your team members on the X-axis. 

Assign one of the four RACI letters to each task and team member. This makes it easy for team members to know what their specific role is for each task. 

The legend below explains in greater detail what team roles work best with each letter of the RACI chart.

R = Responsible . This person performs the work. There should only ever be one Responsible per task, so everyone on the team knows who to go with for questions and updates.

A = Accountable . This person is responsible for approving the work and will likely be a manager.

C = Consulted . This person should give input on the work. This could be a team member or someone on another team.

I = Informed . This person should be informed of the progress and the outcome of the work, but they don’t give input on the work as it’s being performed. 

Additional tips for the RACI matrix: 

There should only ever be one Responsible per task ( R ) so team members know who is in charge of the work. If a task has more than one Responsible, team members can easily become confused.

While only one person should be accountable for each task ( A ), that same person can also be Responsible for the task ( AR ). 

It’s also important to limit the number of people you inform, as this can make your project unnecessarily complex ( keep I’s low ).

You can use a RACI matrix to set clear expectations for your team members and as a reference when executing projects. 

4. Get feedback from team members

Asking team members for candid feedback after you complete your RACI matrix can encourage team collaboration and provide insight into whether the roles you’ve assigned seem functional.

When your team members can voice their opinions, you create healthy team dynamics in the workplace by facilitating communication.

You can ask for feedback in several ways, such as: 

Hold a team meeting and ask, “Does anyone have an opinion on the team roles I’ve assigned?”

Schedule 1:1 meetings, so team members have a safe space to voice concerns.

Put out an anonymous survey so team members can share their honest responses.

When to clarify roles and responsibilities

There are roles and responsibilities at the organizational and the project level. As project manager, your job is to define both for your team at different times. Creating a solid team structure at the organizational level is crucial and should be addressed first if you’re noticing gaps in this area. 

For example, if a writer on your team is handling a lot of the project planning, it may be time to refocus their priorities and tasks. If a designer is responding to emails all day, realign your team structure so they have more heads-down time to create. 

Once your team knows their roles and responsibilities at the organizational level, you can approach each project individually. A designer may have general duties for their job role, but for a specific project, they may also be responsible for sending designs back and forth. 

The benefits of establishing roles and responsibilities

When you establish roles and responsibilities, you create a team structure that’s built to last. Team performance will improve when individuals feel confident in the duties they’re assigned.

When team members have individual roles, the team also benefits in other ways, including:

Increased productivity: You’ll notice an increase in productivity when you assign key responsibilities to each team member. When team members have clarity about their roles and responsibilities, they can prioritize the right work and get their most high-impact work done.

Improve hiring process: When you clarify job responsibilities for different roles, you make it easier for hiring managers to meet team needs when searching for new hires. Without a clear list of responsibilities, it may be difficult for recruiters to explain job roles to candidates.

Boost team morale: When there’s a lack of clarity in what your team members should do, they may feel unsure of their skills. Defining roles and responsibilities can boost team morale because everyone will have a task to accomplish. You can also align team members to work on tasks that complement their natural abilities so they feel confident in what they’re doing each day. 

More efficient resources: Your organization will waste less time and money when team members perform the correct job roles. As seen in the example above, two team members who didn’t know their job responsibilities on a project doubled up on work. This duplicate work wasted valuable project time, and as a result, it also wasted money. The more efficient your team is, the leaner the budget and timeline will be. 

With clear and concrete team roles, your team members should feel confident and motivated to achieve their responsibilities. 

Examples of roles and responsibilities

Every role has key responsibilities that fit with that position. When aligned correctly, team members should know their role and only be responsible for tasks that fit under their job role. Take a look at some common roles and the responsibilities these roles may have.

Role: Project manager

Responsibilities: 

Plan and develop the project

Create and lead the team

Monitor and share project progress

Role: Visual designer

Responsibilities:

Produce consistent visual work

Keep team members up to date with project milestones

Create direction for projects and guiding team members

Role: Content writer

Research and write copy

Communicate with designers and managers on progress

Revise copy after receiving feedback from clients

These responsibilities may change based on the organizational culture , work environment, and abilities of each individual team member. You can make your own job responsibilities template that includes more detail such as who the team member reports to and requirements of the role.

Build a strong project team with clear communication and structure

As team leader, it’s your job to prepare your team members for every project. The best way to create a strong team structure is through open communication. With team communication software, you can meet deadlines and reach team goals by making sure everyone knows their roles and responsibilities, when tasks are due, and where work stands.

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How to Make a Responsibility Assignment Matrix for a Project (Template Included)

The most important resource you’ll employ to deliver the project is people. They have to fit into the schedule and maintain the project budget. Defining what their roles and responsibilities are when executing tasks and delivering on the project goals is an important part of controlling the project.

How can you coordinate all the people who are involved in a project so they know what they’re doing and don’t block others from doing what they are assigned? Using a responsibility assignment matrix can help. An assignment matrix gives your project a team that gets things done.

What is a Responsibility Assignment Matrix in Project Management?

A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) is a project management chart used to identify and define the various people and organizations and outline each of their roles in working on tasks or delivering a part of the project.

Project managers use an assignment matrix to clarify what cross-functional teams do within the boundaries of the project and its numerous processes. Sometimes a responsibility assignment matrix is required when responding to a request for proposal (RFP).

The responsibility assignment matrix can also be called a RACI matrix, which stands for responsible, accountable, consulted and informed.

• Responsible: Notes who is responsible for executing the task, which is then assigned to them.
• Accountable: Notes who has decision-making authority and how that power is delegated throughout the project team.
• Consulted: Notes who is able to offer insight into the task, from team members to stakeholders.
• Informed: Notes who is updated on what in terms of progress and performance, as well as when and how this information is disseminated.

This creates a map of connections between activities and project team members. Depending on the size of the project, there can be several assignment matrices used for various project levels.

Why Create a Responsibility Assignment Matrix?

The assignment matrix identifies what everyone on the team is responsible for, which means not only what their duties are, but how they participate in the project. Some will have defined tasks, others will offer help with work, while there are some who are designated as decision-makers. These groups all have an identity and function within the project to help guide it towards a successful end.

Clear communication leads to more efficient projects. An assignment matrix facilitates better communication between team members and provides transparency by creating a system to make sure everyone is updated and always on the same page. Belaboring communications can bog down a project with too many pointless meetings and confusing interactions in which people try to understand what they’re supposed to be doing. Using the responsibility assignment matrix helps, but having project management software that connects teams in real-time is ideal.

ProjectManager manages project information by allowing teams to attach files directly to tasks, and our unlimited file storage keeps important project documents at your fingertips anywhere, anytime. Commenting on tasks can save time and tagging others in the project team creates a communication process that avoids the pitfalls of redundancies or unnecessary meetings.

When Should a Responsibility Assignment Matrix Be Created?

The responsibility assignment matrix would be created at the start of the project. You’d want to have everyone on the project team aware of where they stand in terms of their involvement before they start executing tasks.

As much as its use is a preventative measure, it can be used prescriptively. If you’re deep into the project and things are not moving as planned, there could be communication gridlock. If team members are not in the loop, or misconstrue what they’re supposed to be doing, using a responsibility assignment matrix might untie up those knots in the communication channel.

If there’s a problem with leadership overruling suggestions on how to advance the project and this is seen as a problem, it’s likely that the roles and responsibilities of the project team need refining. The responsibility assignment matrix defines who has authority to make decisions and using it or revisiting can determine if the right people are in that position.

In fact, any of the definitions might need reexamining at any phase in the project. Perhaps tasks are falling behind schedule. This could be because team members aren’t aware of what tasks they own. Anytime a delay occurs, returning to the assignment matrix is a good first step, even if you went through the process as you should during the planning stage of the project.

How to Create a Responsibility Assignment Matrix

The actual making of a responsibility assignment matrix is not as difficult as getting everyone on board with what their roles and responsibilities are.

Therefore, you want to include your team in the process, get their input and eventually buy-in without spending too much time and energy on the process. Follow these steps to make sure everyone is in agreement and you’ll have a successful responsibility assignment.

• Identify all the participants involved in the project, from team members to stakeholders and everyone in between.
• List all deliverables associated with the project. Use a work breakdown structure to make sure you don’t miss any.
• Meet with team members on how to execute the tasks to create the deliverables. Every task needs to be discussed in terms of the team’s responsibility and authority.
• Draft the responsibility assignment matrix using a table with the project tasks listed on the left-hand column. Across the top add the name of everyone in the project.
• Where the tasks meet the project team member, assign whether they’re responsible, accountable, consulted or informed.
• When completed, share the responsibility assignment matrix with the project team and stakeholders and hold a meeting if necessary to make sure everyone understands their part in the project. If you’re working in a shared space, print out a copy and post it.

Free Responsibility Assignment Matrix Template

Using a RACI template is a shortcut that sets up your team and the project for success. ProjectManager is more than an award-winning software that organizes tasks, teams and projects to streamline work and boost productivity, it’s also the online hub for all things project management.

Among the hundreds of blog posts, guidebooks and tutorial videos are dozens of free templates that can help you through every phase of your project’s life cycle. Using our free RACI template will help you guide all the project teams better, allowing them to know where they stand in relation to the project and what their level of responsibility and accountability is.

Use it at the start of the project to avoid delays and untangle any communicative knots that are preventing the project from progressing as planned. To keep your project on track, download our free RACI template and get a head start on building a workable responsibility assignment matrix.

Best Practices

Using our free RACI template is a good start, but you have to make sure you fill it in correctly. A responsibility assignment matrix is only as good as the effort put into creating it. Here are some best practices to apply when you’re in the process of building your assignment matrix.

• Involve the team: They’re the ones who will be executing the work. You want their input and buy-in to avoid any costly mistakes or time-consuming questions about what wasn’t made clear at the beginning of the project.
• Identify every single task: Identify all the tasks required to reach your final deliverable. Once you have that thorough list make sure that there is only one person on the team who is accountable.
• Update your RACI regularly: Make sure that each new one is clearly marked as the most current version and is distributed to everyone on the team. There will be times when you’ll want to revisit the responsibility assignment matrix or changes in personnel will require an edit.
• Share responsibility viably: One person shouldn’t have to shoulder the bulk of the responsibilities for the project and you want to give authority throughout the project team and not just among the very top management team.
• Optimize tasks: Managers can use the RACI matrix to see if too many team members have been assigned to a task. Maybe these workers could be spread out for greater productivity. There could be too many people listed as consulted, which slows down the process. The assignment matrix is endlessly useful.

How ProjectManager Helps You Manage Projects Better

ProjectManager is a cloud-based tool that connects everyone in real-time to facilitate planning, monitoring and reporting on the project. It works to give everyone on the project team a job and the knowledge as to where they have authority and when to consult others, as well as defining the reporting process.

Let’s look at the people who are responsible, for example, the team who execute the project. Once invited into the software, you can share the project plan, assign them tasks, add detailed direction, add a deadline and tag for priority and more. The teams can then collaborate by attaching files and images to the tasks and commenting in real-time to work better together.

Those who need to stay informed of the project can do so by also getting invited into the project and sharing plans and schedules with them. Stakeholders can stay updated with reporting features that can generate reports on project variance, cost, time and more with one click. Then share them as a PDF. Reports can even be quickly filtered to zero in on the data stakeholders are interested in.

The responsibility assignment matrix can help you reallocate your resources when things aren’t progressing as planned. Use our software to get further insight. The resource management features include a workload chart that’s color-coded so it’s easy to see who has too many tasks and who can take on more work. Then you can simply reallocate those resources from the workload page to help your team work more productively.

ProjectManager gets you organized, keeps your team focused on their tasks and stakeholders in the loop. Gain efficiencies throughout every aspect of your project’s life cycle with an online Gantt chart to schedule work and kanban boards, a visual workflow feature that provides transparency into production. All that and it’s on a collaborative platform to keep everyone connected. Try ProjectManager today for free.

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5 Examples of Take-Home Tasks for Different Roles

Assigning take-home tasks when hiring is much like marmite, coriander, or Hawaiian pizza. Your candidates will either love it or hate it.

The ‘love it’ camp likely welcomes the opportunity to showcase their skills and appreciate the time to think it through versus answering questions on the spot in an interview.

However, the ‘hate it’ group sees it as doing work for free, might already have portfolios of work that give a much fairer picture of their experience level, and resent the infringement on their personal time (regardless of how this might be their dream job).

What we can learn from this dichotomy is that while a take-home assignment is not right for every role, it’s still worth it for some. To figure out if it’s a fit for the role you’re hiring for, let’s look at five good examples of take-home tasks that your candidates will (hopefully) love.

TL;DR — Key Takeaways

A take-home assignment is an important part of the interview process that focuses on candidates crafting and completing real-world tasks .

Incorporating a take-home assignment will give your organization better insight and skill observation over candidates. However, job seekers may see take-home tests as time-consuming, exploitative, or manipulative.

The perfect take-home assignment should be structured around providing the candidate with clarity about the role, respecting their time, and ensuring consistent testing criteria.

Toggl Hire introduced homework tasks in our skills assessment library! It’s never been easier to raise the quality of your hires with reliable proof of competence.

What are take-home tasks?

A take-home assignment is given to candidates during the interview process to complete in their own time and shows the hiring manager how the job seeker is able to complete a task.

These assignments generally consist of coding tests for developers , presentations for upper-level management, and campaigns for marketers. They’re given to candidates after the first interview round. The success will determine if the candidate makes it to the second round.

Pros and cons of a take-home assignment

Obviously, there are pros and cons to using a take-home assignment, right? Of course! So let’s go over the big ones.

• Skill observation : It allows the hiring company to understand the candidate’s skills in action and their thought process.

• Insight : The take-home interview assignment will allow the candidate to have a better understanding of the position, break any key assumptions, and what the company expects of them.

• Supplemental information : If done early in the interview process, an interview assignment allows the candidate’s skills to do the talking as opposed to the hiring manager only relying on the resume.

• Less pressure : Because a Q&A interview can be a pressure cooker, the take-home assignment makes the interviewing candidate feel more at ease.

• Time-consuming : A hiring team may claim the assignment will only take several hours to prepare and complete, but any interview assignment over more than an hour is cutting into the candidate’s personal time and current job.

• Ethical concerns and lost earnings : Asking a candidate to complete an unpaid work assignment can be seen as unethical and equivalent to unpaid labor. Some companies may even go so far as to steal the ideas of the candidate, use them, and not give credit or compensate the candidate.

• Limited personal evaluation : While the interview take-home assignment can assess a candidate’s skill set, it may not capture important aspects such as personality and behavior.

How to structure a take-home task

Creating a take-home assignment that strikes the perfect balance of helpful but not exploitative can be tricky. Regardless of what kind of take-home task or homework assignment you’re creating for hiring, it’s crucial for hiring managers to approach their creation with careful thought and attention.

Your hiring team will need to consider all of the following:

What are the common mistakes?

It’s normal to make mistakes, and learning from them can help you hire better, faster, and more fair.

So, let’s explore common blunders to steer clear of when designing and implementing a take-home assignment during the interview process, ensuring fairness and an effective evaluation process that respects candidates’ time and effort.

• Appropriate Task Alignment : Avoid assigning tasks that aren’t directly relevant to the role.

• Reasonable Task Length : Create a take-home assignment that can be completed within a reasonable timeframe.

• Providing Sufficient Context : Avoid requesting candidates to answer or solve company-specific problems without providing adequate information.

• Ethical Treatment of Work Requests : Refrain from asking candidates to produce work for free that the company may later exploit, such as writing a blog post for publication.

• Timely Introduction of Tasks : Including a take-home assignment as an early screening requirement can discourage candidates. Do this after their first interview.

• Constructive Feedback : Don’t miss the opportunity to provide candidates with constructive feedback on their completed tasks.

• Balancing Mandatory and Optional Tasks : Avoid making the take-home assignment mandatory for all applicants, as circumstances may prevent some candidates from completing it.

• Conduct post-assignment interviews : Once you have received a few tasks back from candidates, we highly recommend that you schedule a take-home assignment interview to better understand any pain points the job seeker may have had.

5 thorough examples of great take-home assignments

Now that you better understand the how , the when , and the why of take-home assignments, we’ll show you five examples. The example take-home assignments will cover tasks for:

• Developer – fixing a broken site
• Product manager – redesigning a feature
• Marketing lead – creating a marketing campaign
• Designer – redesigning the onboarding flow
• Customer success executive – running a mock QBR

Example #1: Take-home task for a developer role

This challenge is geared towards a mid-level developer who can identify and fix errors and optimize the code of an eCommerce website. The goal here is to see how well the candidates understand debugging techniques, approach problem-solving, and how they will communicate with the rest of their team.

Task: Fixing a Broken E-commerce Site

Introduction

Your mission is to debug the broken e-commerce site, fix errors, and ensure it runs smoothly. Customers are unable to place orders due to the significant increase in errors.

Requirements

• Identify and fix all of the errors on the site.
• Ensure that customers can place orders without any problems.
• Optimize the site to improve its performance.
• Document your approach and explain your reasoning behind your changes.

Instructions

• Clone the repository from the following Github URL: https://github.com/debugging-challenge/e-commerce-site.git .
• Install all the dependencies by running npm install .
• Start the development server by running npm start .
• Debug and fix all errors.
• Document your approach and explain your reasoning in a README file.

Your submission will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Identification and fixing of all errors
• Site optimization
• Completeness of documentation and reasoning
• Code cleanliness and adherence to best practices
• Clarity and organization of documentation
• Submit your code as a ZIP file.
• Include the README file that explains your approach and reasoning.
• Send the ZIP file to the hiring manager by email.

Example #2: Challenge for a product manager

Our next example focuses on testing product manager candidates on how they approach problem-solving, communicate with customers, and conduct user research while implementing open-ended questions.

In a sense, how well they’ll actually do their jobs in a product management role. This assignment is bound to produce better product management interviews for your organization.

Task: Redesigning Filma’s Collaboration Features

You are the Product Manager for collaboration features at Filma, a leading collaborative design platform. Recent feedback from customers has shown that they are not happy with how collaboration features work on the site. Your mission in this product management task is to redesign the collaboration features to better meet customer needs and preferences.

• Review the problem statement and develop a list of open-ended questions to better understand the issue.
• Conduct user research to validate assumptions and identify pain points and user needs.
• Develop a new design for collaboration features.
• Prioritize features and functionality based on customer needs and business goals.
• Outline the implementation plan.
• Document your approach and explain your reasoning.
• Review the problem statement and develop a list of open-ended questions to better understand the issue and customer needs.
• Conduct (mock) user research to validate assumptions and identify pain points and user needs. Schedule a call with a team member to role-play a customer interview. Include data points such as user feedback, user behaviour, and competitor analysis in your research.
• Develop a new design for collaboration features. Identify the key features and functionality of the new design, and prioritize them based on customer needs and business goals.
• Outline the implementation plan. Include a timeline, resources required, and technical feasibility.
• Document your approach and explain your reasoning in a presentation or document.
• Quality of open-ended questions and user research.
• Soundness of the new design and prioritization of features and functionality.
• Clarity and feasibility of the product management implementation plan.
• Completeness of documentation and reasoning.
• Clarity and organization of presentation or document.
• Submit your open-ended questions, presentation, or document as a PDF or PowerPoint file.
• Send the file to the hiring manager by email.

Example #3: Testing marketing managers

Let’s now explore an exciting marketing challenge that aims to find a candidate who can skillfully design an innovative user acquisition growth loop. This task involves leveraging valuable market research insights to craft a robust strategy that showcases a deep understanding of growth concepts.

Task: Designing a User Acquisition Growth Loop

You are the Marketing Lead at a Product-Led Growth (PLG) company that provides a collaboration tool for remote teams. Your team has conducted market research to identify target customer segments. Your mission is to design a new user acquisition growth loop based on the insights gained.

• Review the market research insights provided by your team.
• Design a new user acquisition growth loop, with a structured approach, based on the insights gained.
• Identify metrics to measure the effectiveness of the growth loop.
• Review the market research insights provided by your team. Use the insights to identify areas where a new user acquisition growth loop can be designed.
• Design a new user acquisition growth loop based on the insights gained. The growth loop should identify key stages, such as awareness, interest, and activation, and prioritize them based on customer needs and business goals.
• Identify metrics to measure the effectiveness of the growth loop. The metrics should be tied to the key stages of the growth loop and should be used to track progress and optimize the loop over time.
• Soundness of the new user acquisition growth loop and prioritization of key stages
• Creativity and effectiveness of the growth loop design
• Identification and feasibility of metrics to measure the effectiveness of the growth loop
• Clarity and organization of presentation or document
• Submit your presentation or document as a PDF or PowerPoint file.

Example #4: Take-home test for designers

This challenge is centered around an intriguing product design assessment designed to narrow down a candidate who excels in analyzing user recording sessions and crafting an improved onboarding flow design.

Task: Redesigning the Onboarding Flow Introduction

You are a Product Designer at a web-based Product-Led Growth (PLG) company that provides a collaboration tool for remote teams. Your team has recorded user sessions for the past 3 months to help identify areas of improvement for the onboarding flow. Your mission is to redesign the onboarding flow to improve user engagement and activation based on the insights gathered.

• Analyze the user recording sessions to identify user needs and preferences.
• Develop a new design for the onboarding flow.
• Prioritize design features based on user needs and business goals.
• Ensure that the design aligns with the company’s minimalist, intuitive design philosophy.
• Analyze the user recording sessions to identify user needs and preferences. Use the insights gathered to identify areas for improvement in the onboarding flow.
• Develop a new design for the onboarding flow. Identify the key stages of the flow, and prioritize them based on user needs and business goals. Ensure that the design aligns with the company’s minimalist, intuitive design philosophy.
• Prioritize design features based on user needs and business goals. Identify the most important design features that will enhance user engagement and activation.
• Quality of analysis of user recording sessions and identification of user needs and preferences
• The soundness of the new onboarding flow design and prioritization of key stages
• Alignment with the company’s minimalist, intuitive design philosophy
• Creativity and effectiveness of the prioritized design features

Example #5: Testing customer succes

Our final challenge example focuses on a customer success assignment. The perfect candidate will showcase their expertise in defining success metrics for a simulated account, devising impactful tactics to drive feature adoption and enhance metrics, and effectively presenting their approach and results in a mock Quarterly Business Review (QBR) presentation.

Task: Driving Feature Adoption and Improving Metrics

You are a Customer Success Manager at a PLG company that provides a project management tool for remote teams. Your mission is to work with a mock account to define success metrics, develop tactics to drive feature adoption and improve metrics for Q2, culminating in a mock QBR presentation.

• Define success metrics for the mock account.
• Develop tactics to drive feature adoption and improve metrics.
• Document your approach and results in a mock QBR presentation.
• Define success metrics for the mock account. Assume that the mock account is a remote team of 20 people that uses your project management tool for all their projects. Assume that they have been using the tool for 6 months, and that they have expressed interest in increasing feature adoption and improving metrics related to on-time delivery, collaboration, and budget management. Use your own assumptions to define success metrics that measure the impact of the product on their business.
• Develop tactics to drive feature adoption and improve metrics. Use the success metrics to identify the actions needed to increase feature adoption and improve metrics, and assign responsibilities to your team. Use customer success best practices, such as regular check-ins and training sessions, to ensure that the tactics are on track and that the mock account is engaged and satisfied.
• Document your approach and results in a mock QBR presentation. Create a deck that’s less than 10 slides, with consistent title and object placement, fonts, font colors, and different ways of visualizing insights. Use the mock QBR presentation to realign on the mock account’s goals, review their performance, present the tactics and their impact on the success metrics, and recommend the next steps to improve product performance next quarter.
• Quality of success metrics defined for the mock account.
• Soundness of the tactics to drive feature adoption and improve metrics.
• Collaborative execution of the tactics with your team.
• Clarity, organization, and persuasiveness of the mock QBR presentation.
• Submit your mock QBR presentation as a PDF or PowerPoint file.

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Juste loves investigating through writing. A copywriter by trade, she spent the last ten years in startups, telling stories and building marketing teams. She works at Toggl Hire and writes about how businesses can recruit really great people.

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5 Ways to Manage a Job Reassignment

Instead of laying people off, organizations are increasingly giving them new job assignments. How to manage what can be a jarring professional change.

For More Expert Insights

Associate Principal, Advisory

Senior Client Partner, North America

Career Coach, Korn Ferry Advance

Career & Leadership Coach, Senior Consultant

Career & Leadership Coach, Korn Ferry Advance

U.S. companies announced 42% fewer layoffs in July than in June, and 8% fewer cuts than in July of 2022. The underlying reason is unexpected, however: while companies are continuing to eliminate jobs, they’re often reassigning workers to new roles instead of laying them off. Experts believe this trend could continue.

“Chances are, these are the types of changes we can expect to see over time, whether it’s due to new technology, like AI, or economic trends,” says Korn Ferry Advance coach Frances Weir .

While it can be difficult for employees to suddenly step into a new role and work with a new manager and team, experts say reassignment can have an upside. It offers employees an opportunity to learn new skills and bolster their résumé. For instance, if you’re moved onto a team that is underresourced and needs help, there’s an opportunity for you to make notable contributions that could earn you recognition, says Mark Royal , a senior client partner for Korn Ferry Advisory.

Since a reassignment can potentially be advantageous, it’s worth considering what steps to take to help you adjust. Here are five ways to adapt to a job reassignment.

Manage your emotions.

Reassignments are often unexpected, so it’s important to take a step back from your emotions. It’s normal to feel surprise, anger, or a loss of control, Royal says. But making an immediate, emotional decision—like quitting immediately—could wind up being detrimental to your long-term career.

Be diplomatic with your manager and get ready for the new assignment. At the same time, do some self-reflection. “Understand why you feel this way, and know that if you choose to stay, it doesn’t have to be forever,” Weir says.

Treat it like a new job.

As with any new position, making a good impression during your first 90 days is important, says Alyson Federico, a career coach at Korn Ferry Advance. “No matter how familiar you already are with the team or your new manager, don’t make assumptions that you know what’s going on or what you’re supposed to do,” she says.

Remember that your relationship with these colleagues will evolve. Ask questions to understand expectations about deliverables and responsibilities, how the team communicates, and how you fit into the group, Federico says. Make sure you have a clear sense of how your new team defines success.

Determine the reassignment’s length.

“Is this an open-ended shift, or has it been presented as a short-term assignment with some expectation of other opportunities down the road?” Royal says.

Ask your manager whether there will be a probationary period. Determine how much grace you will get before you’re expected to be a full contributor. Ask if there’s an onboarding process to help you get up to speed.

Stay optimistic.

Your new role and new department might provide an opportunity to build additional skills for your résumé and provide future career options. “You might stumble into something you’re really good at that you were previously unaware of, or perhaps land on a team you really enjoy working with, or discover a new career interest,” says Tiffinee Swanson , a Korn Ferry Advance career coach.

Remind yourself that even though your old role was eliminated, your company decided to keep you. That is a strong signal that your organization values you and your work, Royal says.

Consider the role’s fit.

Even if the role seems to be a poor fit for your skills, you might consider staying if you can see a career path within the company where the fit might be better, Royal says.

Give it some time, experts say. However, if it continues to be a struggle, it’s OK to leave, especially if you have another job offer, you’re offered a severance package, or you’re burned out and don’t have energy to make a change to a reassigned role.

“The best insurance against job loss, or ending up in a position you don’t like, is consistent networking, keeping your résumé and LinkedIn profile up-to-date, and staying abreast of trends in your industry,” says Val Olson , a career coach at Korn Ferry Advance. 

For more expert career advice, connect with a career coach at  Korn Ferry Advance .

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