functions of responsibility assignment matrix

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Key takeaways

Successful project management depends on a team-wide understanding of roles and responsibilities. Using a RACI matrix to assign and define each role is a great way to keep a project on track and positioned for success.

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How Does a RACI Chart Help Project Managers?

Project managers use RACI charts to keep track of team roles and relay those responsibilities to the larger team. The matrix defines clear roles and responsibilities for individual team members across the various phases of the project, breaking each role down into four types of designation: those who are Responsible and Accountable for project deliverables, those who should be Consulted as work begins, and stakeholders who need to be Informed of ongoing progress, roadblocks, and updates. 

Read more: Project Management Phases

RACI Matrix Definitions 

Responsible.

The individual(s) with responsibility for the task or deliverable is typically responsible for developing and completing the project deliverables themselves. The responsible parties are typically hands-on team members who make direct contributions toward the completion of the project. The responsible team is comprised of the project’s “doers”, working hands-on to ensure that each deliverable is completed. 

Some examples of responsible parties are:

• Project Managers
• Business Analysts
• Graphic Designers
• Copywriters

Accountable

Accountable parties ensure accountability to project deadlines, and ultimately, accountability to project completion. This group frequently also falls under the informed category.

Some examples of accountable parties are:

• Product Owners
• Signature Authorities
• Business Owners
• Key Stakeholders

Consulted individuals’ opinions are crucial, and their feedback needs to be considered at every step of the game. These individuals provide guidance that is often a prerequisite to other project tasks, for example, providing legal guidance on a project throughout the process. If you are working on new product development or expansion, this could essentially be the entire organization.

Some examples of consulted parties are:

• Legal Experts
• Information Security and Cybersecurity Experts
• Compliance Consultants

Informed persons are those that need to stay in the loop of communication throughout the project. These individuals do not have to be consulted or be a part of the decision-making, but they should be made aware of all project updates. Typically, this party are business owners or stakeholders that are more interested in viewing the project at a 30,000-foot view.  Keep this group on your cc list for awareness of topics, decisions, and progress – that includes making them part of the initial project kickoff and project demos as optional attendees. This group often also falls under the accountable group.

Some examples of informed parties are:

• Project Committee Members
• External Stakeholders

Read more: DACI vs RACI Model Guide

Why Are RACI Roles Important?

RACI roles provide a sense of organization and clarity for teams that are looking to divide roles and keep team members accountable for their contributions. Considering that 27% of projects go over budget, for reasons like scope creep and lack of defined roles, RACI roles help position a project for success and avoid common pitfalls. 

Moreover, RACI roles help ensure that communication between all roles is ongoing. When you consider that nearly half of all project spending is at risk of being wasted due to a lack of effective team-based communication, it becomes all that more important to prioritize. Ultimately, teams who prioritize communication and well-defined roles are better off, and RACI roles help teams achieve that goal faster – while providing accountability for each team member’s unique contributions to the success of the project. 

Read More: Top 10 Main Causes of Project Failure

How to Create a RACI Matrix 

If you’re looking to implement a RACI matrix as part of your team’s project planning process, take these steps to create a RACI matrix.

Ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the project and its demands before outlining any further steps by communicating with key stakeholders and decision-makers.

Determine the list of key activities and deliverables from the director of program management or other leadership. 

Determine who is needed to be a part of the project or initiative.

Determine the project roles and responsible job titles and persons for each activity and deliverable.

Hold review sessions with key members of the team for alignment, and if you haven’t already, host a kickoff meeting with the entirety of the team and key stakeholders to unveil the matrix, address questions, and more. 

If the project has already started, it’s not too late to implement a RACI matrix.

• Outline the story. Using research from multiple sources, do a, b, c, and d.
• Utilize steps 2 and 3 (shown above). Ensure the right groups are assigned and engaged. 
• Hold a review session. Ensure that the team acknowledges and discusses the plan and the roles assigned.

Read more: 8 Factors That Lead to Successful Projec ts

Examples of a RACI Matrix

As shown above, a RACI matrix helps break down what roles individuals will play as work is carried out and to what extent they will be involved in the project overall. The horizontal axis represents each person on the project team and the vertical axis represents each task.

Each square of the matrix represents an individual, a task, and that individual’s role within the project, either responsible, accountable, consulted, or informed. In this situation, for example, the project manager is accountable for accessing risk, defining performance requirements, creating designs, executing construction, and approving construction work. However, they are only informed about approving construction work and defining functional and aesthetic needs.

Read more: Understanding Different Types of Stakeholders and Their Roles

Our FREE Downloadable RACI Matrix Template

Who creates the raci matrix.

The RACI matrix — sometimes called RACI model, RACI diagram, or simply just RAC — is created by the project manager at the start of the project as a key part of establishing the initial human resources planning for the project. Because miscommunication is a common threat to any project, RACI charts are a great asset to teams dealing with any type of project, from very simple projects to extremely complex ones. 

Common Mistakes When Creating a RACI Matrix

• Failure to plan ahead: Utilizing a RACI matrix should not be your first step in project planning. Having a fully assembled project team and at least a general idea of a task list and project plans is a better place to start before preparing a matrix.
• Working with too large a team: A RACI matrix is likely not the best bet for a large team, as it will make the matrix hard to understand and overly complex.
• Not communicating with the project team: A RACI matrix should help organize tasks and responsibilities that have already been introduced to the project team – no one likes to be blindsided. Be sure to host a kickoff meeting with the team first before creating a RACI matrix.

Frequently Asked Questions

Implementing a RACI matrix takes more than just a few emails and sporadic conversations – it takes consistent communication and planning. You should host a kickoff meeting to introduce the matrix to the team and make a plan to continue meeting at predetermined times throughout the project lifecycle. 

Here are a few more tips to keep in mind as you implement your RACI matrix within the team dynamic:

• Get everyone prepared. Send the document around to the meeting distribution as read-ahead material, requesting feedback if there are any major concerns. 
• Roll out each role for the team . During the meeting, conduct a review of the tasks and responsible parties. Do not rush through this review, but rather ensure enough time in your project kickoff for this important aspect. (Be certain to clarify the definitions of RACI to avoid ambiguity.)
• Consider changes and update accordingly. After the meeting, send out the notes documenting acceptance or updates to the RACI. In addition to sending out the notes, request any corrections within a reasonable yet defined timeframe. Clarify that if no changes are requested, each person is acknowledging their role and committing to the project tasks as outlined.
• Stay in touch. Consider a quick review with the entire team each quarter or every six months for longer projects to ensure it remains up-to-date and not simply another document in the repository but a relied-upon artifact.

As you implement the RACI matrix…

• Encourage teamwork and foster collaboration whenever possible.
• Don’t fear updates – make changes and adjustments as needed (but be sure to communicate those changes clearly to all parties).
• Earlier is better. Roll out your matrix plan to the team BEFORE you plan to implement it for the best results. 
• Have a clear-cut understanding of the project scope and how each role connects to the overall project goal.

For “Responsible” Parties:

• Make sure your project’s definition of Responsible is clear on who holds the “decider” role for the project or project phase’s completion, and what the dimensions of that responsibility will be.
• Ensure that all parties are aware of their role and responsibilities within the matrix.

For “Accountable” Parties: 

• When multiple Accountable team members must exist, use your definitions to make clear which individual is accountable for a given project element, and how that individual needs to interact with other Accountable team members.
• Ensure that there is only one “Accountable” party assigned per task.
• Be sure that the Accountable party has the authority and power to oversee the task as the accountable party.

For Consulted and Informed Parties: 

• Consulted parties are often high-level decision-makers with heavy schedules. Make sure you’re clear on their availability ahead of time.
• Similar to Consulted parties, Informed parties are often less hands-on and have less understanding of day-to-day project operations. As the project goes on, make sure to keep detailed notes to keep the Informed party up-to-date on key information. 
• Understand the ways that these parties like to communicate and create a plan to reach them early – whether that’s over phone calls, emails, video calls, or from within your project management system’s collaboration tools.
• Knowing the difference between who needs to be consulted versus informed can be a challenge if there is ambiguity about project roles. Consider what aspects of the project different team members need to know to do their jobs, and then bake those into your definitions.

RACI Matrix Pros & Cons

• Increased Engagement: RACI helps engage project participants in the project lifecycle. 
• Enhanced Project Planning: Project managers make project planning more organized, efficient, and detailed.
• Identifiable Improvement Opportunities: Areas of improvement are more easily identified.
• Easier Collaboration: Use of a RACI matrix creates a clear path for leadership to sign off on project steps, as project documentation in the RACI model is heavily emphasized.
• Better Communication: Improves overall group communication as a whole.
• Group Accountability: Assists groups, especially larger project teams, stay connected and accountable to their roles and project goals
• Limitations on Role Scope: The RACI model does not provide details on role scope, especially for responsible parties. These gaps in detail also affect other team roles, for example, another gap in a RACI is the determination of who is responsible for verifier and signatory.
• Limits on Task Details and Scope: While a RACI matrix can provide an overview of who is responsible for different tasks, it will not state what needs to be done.
• Not Aligned to the Agile Methodology: Project managers using an agile methodology like scrum may find it redundant since accountability, ownership, and ongoing communication is built into the scrum framework (i.e., product owner, scrum master, and daily standups with the team). Additionally, agile focuses on team-based delivery and accountability, while the RACI framework and alternatives focus on individual responsibility and autonomous accountability.

Read more: Top 10 Causes of Project Failure

Free RACI Matrix Templates

A number of project management software solutions include a native RACI matrix template. Here are just a few we’ve found:

Colorful RACI Chart Template

We love this template from Smartsheet because it’s colorful, thorough, and includes room for every party involved in the project. 

Pastel Colored RACI Matrix Template

This template from the Academy to Innovate HR is a great choice for project managers who want to organize their team roles with an easy-on-the-eyes chart that evolves beyond the simple spreadsheet. 

Simple RACI Chart from Clickup

These RACI templates from Clickup have enough variety to fit any of your project needs, but are simple enough for even beginner PMs to use.

Detailed RACI Matrix Template

This template is a great starter template for anyone looking to explore RACI charts in their project management strategy . As an added bonus – it comes with the RACI definitions already built in!

Excel-Based RACI Chart Template

Are you an Excel or Google Sheets user looking to take advantage of the RACI matrix? An Excel-formatted template from Project Management Docs can be just the solution for you. This template is a great template for users who want a chart that comes in a pre-formatted structure.

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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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Responsibility Assignment Matrix: A Complete Overview

Dive into the world of Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAMs), which helps assign roles and responsibilities and how they streamline Project Management. This comprehensive blog explains their purpose, benefits, and practical use, enabling effective role definition and accountability in project teams. Continue reading!

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This comprehensive blog aims to provide you with a complete overview of the Responsibility Assignment Matrix and its pivotal role in Project Management and organisational structure. 

Table of Content 

1) What is a Responsibility Assignment Matrix in Project Management? 

2)  Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) goal in Project Management 

3) How to create a Responsibility Assignment Matrix? 

4) Benefits of Responsibility Assignment Matrix 

5) Developing Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) best practices 

6) Conclusion  

What is a Responsibility Assignment Matrix in Project Management? 

A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) in project management is a tool that outlines and defines the roles and responsibilities of individuals or groups involved in a project. Its purpose is to ensure that everyone understands their specific duties and tasks. The primary purpose of a RAM is to bring clarity to the project structure, helping to prevent confusion, overlap, and accountability issues throughout the project lifecycle.

RAM in Project Management is also known as Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed (RACI). RACI represents different levels of roles and responsibilities for individuals or teams:

a) Responsible: The individual or group in responsible for finishing a certain job or project. They are the ones who perform the work.

b) Accountable: The individuals who have complete responsibility and decision-making authority over the job or result. They ensure that the task is completed and of satisfactory quality.

c) Consulted: Individuals or stakeholders are consulted for their views or skills before to making a decision or taking actions. They contribute essential insights but may not be directly responsible for the task.

d) Informed: Individuals or stakeholders who need regular updates on the task’s progress or result. They are not actively involved in its conclusion, but they must be notified of any advancements.  

Responsibility Assignment Matrix goal in Project Management 

The primary goal of a Responsibility Assignment Matrix in Project Management is to clearly define and communicate the roles and responsibilities of individuals or teams involved in a project. Here are the key goals of using a RAM in Project Management: 

a) Clear roles and responsibilities: The RAM establishes clear roles and responsibilities for each team member, minimising confusion and conflicts.

b) Enhanced communication: Documenting roles and responsibilities concisely in the RAM facilitates effective communication within the project team. Also, enabling quick identification of contacts for specific issues or inquires.

c) Conflict resolution: BY operating a reference point, the RAM helps to resolve conflicts or misunderstandings about responsibilities, providing a foundation for conversation and conflict resolution.

d) Improved project control: With the RAM in place, Project Managers and stakeholders can more easily monitor project progress, identifying task accountability and monitoring work package status.

e) Efficiency and accountability: By allocating responsibility to each project aspect, the RAM promotes accountability among team members, resulting in increased efficiency as everyone understands their duties and expectations.

f) Risk Management: The clear roles of RAM help detect potential hazards associated with functional gaps or overlaps, enabling proactive risk mitigation strategies.  

g) Optimal Resource Allocation: Project managers can optimise resource allocation by understanding task ownership and workload distribution as described in the RAM.

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How to create a Responsibility Assignment Matrix? 

Identify the project scope 

Start by recognising the project's scope or the exact purpose for which you are building RAM. This includes establishing project objectives, outcomes, and critical milestones.

Define roles and responsibilities 

a) Identify the key roles involved in the project. Common roles may include Project Manager, Team Leader, Team Member, Stakeholders, and other relevant positions. 

b) Clearly define the responsibilities associated with each role. These responsibilities should be specific and measurable so there is no ambiguity. 

Choose a framework - RACI, RASCI, or DACI 

a) Select a framework for your RAM. The most commonly used frameworks are RACI, RASCI, and DACI: 

b) RACI: RACI   Stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. It defines who is responsible for a task, who is accountable for its completion, who needs to be consulted, and who needs to be informed. 

c) RASCI: RASCI Similar to RACI, but with an additional role, the "S" for Support. This framework further clarifies who provides support for a task. 

d) DACI: This framework is similar to RASCI but adds the role of Driver. The Driver is responsible for ensuring that a task is completed. 

Assign roles using the framework 

a) For each task or work package within the project, assign the relevant roles using the chosen framework. Each task should have a Responsible person, an Accountable person, and, if necessary, people who need to be Consulted, Informed, or Supported. 

b) Be specific and ensure that there is only one person designated as "Accountable" for each task to avoid confusion. 

Document the RAM 

a) Create a table or chart that lists all the tasks or work packages on one axis and the identified roles on the other. 

b) Fill in the matrix with the appropriate role designations (R, A, C, I, S, D) for each task and role. 

Review and validate 

Share the RAM with the project team and stakeholders for evaluation and approval. Confirm that everyone agrees on the roles and responsibilities.

Implement and communicate 

Once the RAM has been completed and approved, communicate it to the project team and other stakeholders. Ensure that everyone understands their jobs and responsibilities. 

Regularly update the RAM 

As the project evolves, it is critical to improve the RAM as necessary. Roles and duties might shift, and new tasks may develop. Keep the RAM current to reflect the project's evolving needs.

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Benefits of Responsibility Assignment Matrix

a) Clarify roles and responsibilities: A RAM clearly defines who is responsible for each task, which helps prevent confusion and ensures that team members understand their roles.

b) Improved communication: The RAM serves as a central reference point for roles and responsibilities, promoting effective communication within the project team. Team members can quickly identify who to contact for specific issues or questions.

c) Conflict resolution: When there is a dispute or ambiguity regarding responsibilities, the RAM provides a basis for discussion and conflict resolution. It helps identify where accountability lies and facilitates problem-solving.

d) Enhanced project control: The RAM allows Project Managers and stakeholders to monitor and manage the project's development.  It helps you to track the status of assignments and ensure that tasks are getting done as planned.

e) Efficiency and accountability: Clearly defined roles and responsibilities create a sense of responsibility among team members, maybe resulting in improved productivity. When people understand what is required of them, and they are more likely to fulfil it.

f) Resource allocation: The RAM helps Project Managers optimise resource allocation by understanding who is responsible for specific tasks. This ensures that workloads are distributed evenly and that resources are used efficiently. 

Developing Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) best practices 

Developing a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a critical aspect of project management. To create an effective RAM, consider the following best practices: 

a) Involve key stakeholders: Define roles and responsibilities after consulting with project stakeholders, team members, and subject matter experts. Their participation can provide useful information about the project's objectives. 

b) Keep it simple: Use a simple framework (e.g., RACI, RASCI, or DACI) that team members are able to quickly understand and use.

c) Use clear and specific language: In order to prevent confusion, write tasks clearly and precisely. Avoid using confusing or unclear terms that may lead to confusion.

d) Designate a single "accountable" person: Assign only one person as "Accountable" for each task. This individual is ultimately responsible for the task's completion. Multiple accountable persons can lead to confusion and accountability issues. 

e) Consult and inform appropriately:   It is important to carefully consider the individuals who need to be consulted and informed for each task. Avoid unnecessary involvement, which can lead to inefficiency. Ensure that the right people are included in these roles. 

f) Review and validate with the team: Share the RAM with the project team and stakeholders for feedback and validation. Ensure that all parties agree with the assigned roles and responsibilities. 

g) Document assumptions and clarifications: If certain roles and responsibilities are based on assumptions or require clarification, document these notes alongside the RAM. This can help avoid misunderstandings in the future. 

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Conclusion  

A Responsibility Assignment Matrix is an important tool in Project Management and organisational systems. Its importance comes from its capacity to define, assign, and explain the roles and responsibilities, resulting in improved project effectiveness and performance.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Creating a Responsibility Matrix is appropriate for the project's initiation stage. It outlines roles, duties, and communication channels to promote responsibility throughout the project's lifecycle. 

The Responsibility Assignment Matrix or RACI model divides tasks as Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, or Informed. It promotes transparency and accountability among the project group.

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What is a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) in Project Management?

• 1.  Project Management Basics
• 2.  Project Management Methodologies
• 3.  Project Management Life Cycle
• 4.  Best Project Management Software
• 5.  Team Collaboration Tips
• 6.  Agile Methodology Basics
• 7.  Agile Project Management Tools & Techniques
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• 9.  Resources
• 10.  Glossary
• Advanced Terminology
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• Basic Terminology
• Professional Development
• Agile Project Management

Introduction to Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)

Project management is a complex process that involves multiple stakeholders, tasks, and resources. To ensure the success of a project, it is crucial to assign clear roles and responsibilities to team members and accurately define their tasks. 

One tool that can help project managers achieve this goal is the Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM). In this article, we will explore the definition and benefits of RAM, as well as some examples.

If you’re looking for a RAM template that will help you assign roles and clarify responsibilities, Wrike has a customizable template ready to go.

What is a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) in project management?

A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) in project management, also known as a RACI chart or RACI matrix, details all the necessary stakeholders and clarifies responsibilities amongst cross-functional teams and their involvement level in a project. RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed and each letter corresponds to a team member.

A RAM in project management should be referred to by all parties throughout a project because it helps plan an individual’s roles and responsibilities before work begins. A RACI matrix ensures all stakeholders know who is responsible for completing a task or getting feedback on deliverables.

The four roles are broken down as follows:

• Responsible: The person(s) completing the task
• Accountable: The team member coordinating the actions, making decisions, and delegating to those responsible for the task
• Consulted: The person(s) who will be communicated with regarding decisions and tasks
• Informed: The person(s) who will be updated during the project and upon completion

Read more about RACI here . 

Identify and visualize roles seamlessly with Wrike

Responsibility assignment matrix example.

A common RAM   template looks like the example below. Notice how all stakeholders can have more than one role:

Responsibility Assignment Matrix template

Below you can see a powerful RAM template . The chart helps with visualizing roles and workload clearly. Therefore, project managers and team members follow the progress easily and stay on track.

Clarify roles with Wrike

In conclusion, RAM is a useful tool for any project manager who wants to ensure their team is clear on their responsibilities. It helps to establish a structured approach to project management, allowing for better communication, accountability, and ultimately, project success.

Using Wrike’s pre-built template, you can define the roles of each team member so everybody is on the same page. The template will also help you balance your workload and create complete transparency on your team structure.

What is a RACI Chart?

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What is a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) in Project Management?

Fahad Usmani, PMP

March 30, 2024

A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) in project management is a key document that distinguishes stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities. The RACI chart is the most popular example of a RAM that clarifies stakeholders’ roles and defines their involvement.

RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. Each team member in the RACI chart has at least one role.

All stakeholders refer to RAM in case of conflict regarding the roles and responsibilities in assignments or duties. RAM helps reduce conflict in projects to a great extent. Using this document, every team member will know their roles and the responsibilities of other team members.

The roles in the RACI matrix are as follows:

• Responsible: This stakeholder is responsible for completing the task.
• Accountable: This stakeholder is accountable for the task. They will make decisions and delegate work to the stakeholders who are responsible for completing the task.
• Consulted: These stakeholders will be consulted on any decisions made about the task.
• Informed: These stakeholders only require an updated status report on the progress of the task.

Responsibility Assignment Matrix Example

As I said, the RACI chart is the most popular example of RAM.

The table below shows the RAM example using the RACI chart:

Some other less-popular responsibility assignment matrix examples are as follows:

• RASCI Chart: This chart is also known as the “RASCI matrix,” as the letter S is added, which means “supportive.” 
• DACI Chart: DACI stands for “Driver, Approver, Contributor, and Informed.” 
• RAPID Chart: RAPID stands for “Recommend, Agree, Perform, Input, and Decide.” 
• CARS: CARS stands for “Communicate, Approval, Responsible, and Support.” 
• CLAM: CLAM stands for “Contribute, Lead, Approve, and Monitor.” 

Responsibility Assignment Matrix Template

The table below shows the basic template for the responsibility assignment matrix.

RAM is a key tool in project management . It helps the project manager assign roles and responsibilities. Additionally, it ensures that the team stays on its path and that no one interferes with each other’s roles. Finally, RAM ensures that every task has responsible and accountable stakeholders assigned to it.

This topic is important from a PMP exam point of view.

I am Mohammad Fahad Usmani, B.E. PMP, PMI-RMP. I have been blogging on project management topics since 2011. To date, thousands of professionals have passed the PMP exam using my resources.

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Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RACI Matrix) Explained

Last updated 11th April 2024

There’s an old saying that ‘If everyone’s responsible, nobody’s responsible.’ And in project management, it often rings true.

When people don’t know exactly what they – and their colleagues – are responsible for, it’s easy for things to get missed, ignored, or left for others to deal with.

This is especially true nowadays, with projects more complex – and teams more distributed – than ever.

And it’s a situation that leads to confusion, frustration, and, potentially, project failure .

One way to mitigate this is the responsibility assignment matrix – sometimes called the RACI matrix.

In this post we’ll outline the core principles of the RACI Matrix – and explain why it may be a good idea for project managers to put in place for their projects!

Article Contents

What is a RACI matrix?

A RACI matrix is an essential project management tool used to define roles and responsibilities for a project or project task. It’s about defining who’s responsible for projects or tasks, and what level of input is expected of them.

These are the four categories of involvement in a project, and each individual or team involved in the project is assigned one of these project roles. 

Let’s first dig into what they mean…

The Responsible category is for a person or team who is actively involved in completing a task or project. To put it crudely, they’re the ones who are actually ‘doing the work.’

The Accountable category is for the person or team who’s ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the project, task or deliverable. They might not be the ones ‘doing’ the work, but they are the ones who are ultimately accountable for the outcome. 

The Consulted category is for teams or people who need to be consulted for their expertise or input along the way. They may not be directly involved in the work, but their input is important. For example – these people might be required to give feedback and sign off, or provide technical advice.

And the Informed category is for people who need to be kept informed of progress. They may provide input on a task or project, but more likely, they just require up-to-date info to understand where things are up to.

By clearly defining roles and responsibilities for a project using a RACI matrix, it’s easier to monitor progress and ensure successful completion. 

It also helps to eliminate misunderstandings about who is responsible for what by enshrining this in a clear, visual way.

How to create a RACI matrix

Creating a RACI matrix is easy to do. The matrix consists of two main elements – a table and a list of tasks, roles and responsibilities for the project or task.

The table is made up of columns for each individual involved in the project, and rows for each task or activity that needs to be completed. Each cell in the table will indicate the role for that person in relation to that particular task. The list should include a description of each task or activity, as well as the roles and responsibilities for each individual involved.

Let’s look at a classic project and consider how those categories would come into effect using the RACI model.

In this example we’ll consider a typical, run-of-the-mill web design project. So we start by adding a column for every person or team involved – we’ll go with client, project manager, web designer, graphic designer, front-end developer, back-end developer, content writers/editors/strategists and a QA team.

Then, down the left-hand column, we list the stages or tasks involved in that project. We’ll keep things broad and go with briefing and project outline, design, look and feel, user experience, front-end user interface, back end functionality and website content

Again, this is pretty broad, but you could also make it incredibly granular, highlighting every single task and every single person – and, actually, the RACI matrix is often at its best when done in this more detailed way.

Then, to complete our RACI matrix, we need to go through each empty box in our chart and fill it out with one of our four letters to denote whether that person or team is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted or Informed.

To further illustrate the idea, let’s look at a different example – designing and executing a content marketing strategy.

In this example you’ll notice that we have some individuals marked as “A&R” – this means they’re both accountable AND responsible. In other words, they’re tasked with doing the work – AND accountable for the results – which demonstrates how, sometimes, people can occupy more than one category in the matrix.

The beauty of this model is that you can read it in a couple of different ways.

You can view it row by row and work out who has what level of responsibility for a particular task.

Or you can use the columns to work out the requirements of a person or team across a whole project. In theory, you could pick out your role, then get a clear overview of all your responsibilities by simply working your way down the list.

Your RACI Matrix x Project.co

RACI charts are a key part of the project management process – particularly for complex projects – and can be managed with project management software like Project.co . 

Start by creating your project. Every project can be customised to include the tools you need.

Next, invite your project team – this can be made up of internal team members, client team members, and even freelancers.

The Project Notes section is a great place to leave important info that’s relevant to the whole project. This is a good place to store your RACI matrix. 

You can also use the Embed tool to embed documents such as Google Sheets so they’re available from within your project to everyone involved.

You can also include important RACI chart info from within the notes section of each task, as well as attaching tasks to individual people, dates and other important info.

Simply create the tasks you need to complete for your project and assign the responsible person or people to them. 

Final thoughts

You don’t have to be a business analyst to create a RACI chart and use this powerful method to make your projects more streamlined, simple and efficient.

The bottom line is that a RACI matrix ensures every team member knows what’s expected of them – who’s accountable, who’s doing the work, who needs to be consulted, and who needs to be kept up to date.

And if you’re looking to take your project management game to the next level – sign up to Project.co today and get started for free!

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Your guide to RACI charts, with examples

Can you identify exactly who’s doing what by when for each task, milestone, and deliverable in your project? If not, you might need a RACI chart.

RACI is an acronym to help teams clarify project roles and figure out who the responsible party is for any given task. Whether you've never heard of RACI before or you’re considering creating a RACI chart for your next project, here’s everything you need to know about how to create and use these charts.

What is a RACI chart?

Responsible.  This person is directly in charge of the work. There should only ever be one Responsible role per task so you know who to go to with questions or updates. If a task has more than one Responsible person, you can lose clarity and cause confusion. Instead, aim to add additional collaborators as some of the other RACI roles, which can have more than one person.

Accountable.  The Accountable person is responsible for overseeing overall task completion, though they may not be the person actually doing the work. There are two ways to assign an Accountable role. Sometimes, the Accountable is the project manager (or even the Responsible, though in that case the person is taking on two different roles during the task workflow). In these cases, the Accountable is responsible for making sure all of the work gets done. In other cases, the Accountable is a senior leader or executive who is responsible for approving the work before it’s considered complete. Like the Responsible role, there should only ever be one Accountable.

Consulted.  This will be the person or people who should review and sign off on the work before it’s delivered. There may be multiple Consulted roles for each task,  project milestone , or deliverable.

Informed.  This is the person or group of people who are informed about the progress and completion of work. They probably are not involved in any other aspect of the deliverable.

When should I create RACI charts?

RACI charts are a helpful way to track each stakeholder’s role for a task, milestone, or deliverable—especially if you’re managing a complex project with many decision makers and subject matter experts. With a RACI chart, you can prevent poor decision making and avoid roadblocks in the approvals process that could impact overall project success.

These charts, while different from PERT charts , are especially useful if your stakeholders may be taking on different roles throughout the project. For example, there could be a stakeholder who is Responsible on one deliverable but Informed on another. With a RACI chart, you can clearly outline these details and make sure everyone knows who’s responsible for what.

Example of a RACI chart

To build a RACI chart, list every task, milestone, or deliverable for your project. Then, identify who the Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed team members are for each one.

Let’s say you’re updating the homepage on your website.  Project stakeholders  include:

Head of website

Web developer

You want to create a RACI chart for five tasks and deliverables:

Update homepage CTAs

Update customer story on homepage

Revamp website design

Improve homepage loading speed

Update homepage design

The RACI chart would look like:

Responsible: Copywriter

Accountable: Web developer

Consulted: Head of website

Informed: Designer

Revamp video on homepage

Responsible: Designer

Informed: Copywriter

Responsible: Web developer

Informed: Copywriter & Designer

Pros and cons of RACI charts

Ultimately, the question is: should you create a RACI chart? While RACI charts are a useful tool to identify project responsibilities, they can get a little cumbersome over the lifecycle of a project. Here are the pros and cons of creating a RACI chart for your team’s work:

The benefits of RACI charts

Clear project roles and responsibilities can help your team move fast and reduce confusion about who’s working on what. With a RACI chart, you can ensure you don’t have two team members working on the same thing. As a result, you’ll have an easier time  collaborating  with your team.

RACI charts are also particularly helpful when the decision-making process is split between tasks. There might be scenarios where the Informed on one task or milestone is the Responsible or Consulted on another—in order to have that clearly defined, it’s helpful to track this work in a RACI chart.

RACI chart pitfalls (and how to avoid them)

RACI models focus on the granular, instead of capturing work at the project level. You might know who the Consulted is on a particular task—which is helpful—but knowing that doesn’t help you understand how various stakeholders interact with the broader project work.

Additionally, if you attempt to write out each task and each role, your RACI chart can get bulky. Worse, if your project changes in some way, your RACI chart would immediately become outdated. That can make it hard for you to gain real-time clarity about where each task is in your project workflow.

RACI charts are limited because they aren’t able to adapt to your project needs in real time. In order to establish clear expectations and eliminate confusion on the project level, you need a  project management tool .

Take your RACI chart to the next level

With project management software, every task has an assignee—that’s the Responsible. You can see work on the project level, so the Accountable and Informed don’t have to check in via email or status meetings. And, for any approvals you need from your Consulted, you can track reviews and approvals in one place. That way, your entire RACI team has a central source of truth for all of the work being done.

Instead of having your RACI chart separate from where the work is happening, project management tools capture the topic, assignee, and other important information like the task due date or relative importance. That way, your entire project team has visibility into who’s doing what by when—and you’re not relying on a single person to manage and update your RACI chart. Project management tools update in real time, so you can see exactly where you are in the approval process.

Track who’s doing what by when

Clear team roles and responsibilities help you hit your deliverables on time. Tracking different and complex stakeholder responsibilities in a RACI chart can help you do that—but RACI charts are just the beginning. Learn more about  work management , and how your team can benefit.

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What is stakeholder analysis and why is it important?

How Asana uses work management to optimize resource planning

Understanding dependencies in project management

Program manager vs. project manager: Key differences to know

Organizational Structure

What is a Responsibility Assignment Matrix

Last updated: Feb 15, 2023

Table of contents

What is a RAM matrix used for?

How to make a ram or raci chart.

Learn what a Responsibility Assignment Matrix is and how to use one to make all your upcoming projects run smoothly.

A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM), sometimes known as a RACI chart, is a tool used in project management to keep track of all responsibilities assigned to cross-functional teams on a specific task or assignment.

It’s known as a RACI chart because its acronym names the four key roles displayed in the matrix:

• Responsible: Who is the person responsible for completing a task or making a decision?
• Accountable: Who is accountable for the completion of the project overall and will sign off on deliverables and decisions?
• Consulted: Who needs to be consulted to provide input on a particular task or item?
• Informed: Who needs to be kept informed of project progress or completion?

A typical RAM template looks like this:

The RAM matrix is used to document every task, item and decision involved in a project completion process. By keeping everything logged all in one place, a RAM matrix is an invaluable tool to any project manager or company leader for a few reasons.

• Defines clear roles and responsibilities

There is nothing worse than a project being slowed down or stalled because of confusion over who was supposed to do what. In a RAM, every person or team involved can check to see which task or item.

• Streamlines communication

Sometimes explaining directions in person or over a workplace communication tool can get confusing or be interpreted the wrong way. Even worse, one instance of miscommunication can tank an entire project or jeopardize a relationship with a client.

With a RAM, project managers don’t have to waste time directing questions to the responsible stakeholder in charge of making a decision. The chart informs everyone involved exactly who they can go to for answers, cutting out repetitive conversations and notifying the right people at the right time.

• Distributes workloads evenly

No one ever wants to be the one in the group project that has to do everything. Team members with a higher workload are at a greater risk for burnout. A great benefit of a RAM is that everyone can see how the workload for a certain project is distributed. It’s also a great way to be transparent within workflows.

Don’t let the random letters confuse you. Building a RACI chart is surprisingly simple. It can also easily be tweaked to fit your organization and your particular project. According to the work management platform Wrike , here are four steps to follow when building a responsibility assignment matrix:

• Identify all project roles

Start out with a list of everyone involved in a project, including every team, team member, manager and stakeholder.

• Identify all project tasks

Then make a list of all the tasks and items needed to get a project done. These can include deliverables, activities, milestones and decisions.

• Create a chart with a column for each role and a row for each task

In a spreadsheet—or any other tool you’d like—create a simple table by listing each person or role in the columns and each task or deliverable in the rows.

To get the most out of your RACI chart, try to make the roles as personal as possible. For example, instead of naming a role “technical lead,” try to use names, like “Jack.” This will give every person involved a sense of ownership, while also streamlining communication even further.

• Assign “R,” “A,” “C” or “I” to each person involved

Once you have written out the names of each person and task, now comes the important part of assigning RACI to each person involved. Identify who is responsible, who is accountable, who needs to be consulted and who needs to be informed for every task in the project. A role can have more than one letter, but simplify it as much as you can. Bonus step: Add a color to each letter to make the roles stand out even more.

That’s it! You now have made a successful RACI chart. Review with your team and all stakeholders before you initiate a plan, and you are officially on your way to more effective project management.

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How to create a RACI responsibility assignment matrix + tips

Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about a raci matrix.

Projects don't progress in a vacuum.

There are starts, stops, milestones, and obstacles included in the journey. Helping the project participants understand the part they play (and the ones they don't) smooths out conflicts and keeps everyone trucking along efficiently.

To make this happen, many businesses rely on the RACI model: responsible, accountable, consulted, informed.

Your company may be experts at identifying two or three of these components, but fall short on the fourth.

To efficiently complete projects, streamline the process, and ensure participants clearly understand their responsibilities, all four of these components need to be in place. This is where the RACI responsibility assignment matrix shines.

Below, we break down the definition of a RACI model, how to create one that works, and some additional guidelines to follow for agile project management.

Read on for a deeper understanding of how to use RACI charts to empower your stakeholders, break down silos , and increase the quality of your deliverables.

Explaining the RACI responsibility assignment matrix

What is the RACI assignment matrix? The RACI responsibility assignment matrix chart gives project managers a way to build a blueprint of the tasks and actions involved in a project. There are four main parts a person who is involved in the project may play:

• Responsible (R): These team members are the project’s workhorses. They are the ones in the trenches who must complete the tasks. There may be more than one responsible stakeholder.
• Accountable (A): This person is involved in the decision-making. The accountable party reviews the finished work to ensure quality — and that it’s indeed finished. Increasing team accountability is key in moving projects forward.
• Consulted (C): A team member who functions as part of the project team by offering expertise on part of the project may be consulted for guidance and advice. These are typically your company's subject matter experts.
• Informed (I): While not being a contributor or a part of the decision-making process, these participants need to be kept apprised of the project’s progress. These team members need broad explanations — not every minute detail about the tasks involved.

To succeed in project management, everyone’s roles need to be well defined. Projects are too expensive to not be managed effectively. Wasted time and energy means wasted money. The survey results for the 2020 Pulse of the Profession reveal that an average of 11% of investment is wasted due to poor project performance . The RACI responsibility assignment matrix showcases the project’s main goal and what each participant is tasked with completing.

4 steps for creating a RACI matrix for effective project management

It’s not difficult to create a RACI matrix to help manage your projects and assist the participants in understanding their project roles. You will, however, need to do some information gathering and brainstorming on the front end before you attempt to put it all together. The more thorough you are when you flesh out the plan, the better the RACI matrix will perform. Here are the four main steps for creating a RACI matrix.

1. Identify all the key tasks and stakeholders involved

Think about the project from its conception until the final sign off. Make two columns in a spreadsheet. In the left-hand column, add all the project tasks required to move the initiative forward. List these tasks the way they’ll be completed during the project, from first to last. This column needs to hold things like research, meetings, interviews, feedback, and any other tasked-based action involved in the project.

On the top row of the project plan, add all the team members who will play a part in the project. Include the project sponsors, planners, executors, decision makers, managers, reviewers, and anyone else who is directly or indirectly involved.

2. Fill the model cells with stakeholders

Go down the chart and start matching up tasks with stakeholders. In the corresponding cells of the chart, designate who is responsible for, accountable for, will be consulted about, and will be informed about this specific step of the project.

This is the step in the process that makes sure nothing falls through the cracks. There needs to be at least one team member responsible for every task on the chart. There should also be one accountable person for every line item.

Using this template puts the assignments in black-and-white, helping every project stakeholder clearly understand the expectations. As they dig into the project, there will be less confusion about who is supposed to be handling what.

3. Double-check cells and make sure every task has a stakeholder

After you fill the cells, look over the chart closely before you share it with the participants. Every task needs to have a stakeholder assigned to it. The RACI matrix lets you easily see gaps in the plan that wouldn’t be as visible with other charts.

Make sure you have enough stakeholders involved. If a few people are overloaded, this could damage the chances of project success. You may consider moving some tasks off stakeholders who are bearing a large part of the project and giving those tasks to others who have fewer assignments.

It won’t be perfect on the first shot. Adjust the RACI matrix chart until you feel it will be a helpful project management tool for your team.

4. Share your RACI matrix with the team and ask for feedback

A RACI chart isn’t one-way communication. The stakeholders need to have buy-in, which makes it important to show them the chart and ask for their opinions. Go over the work breakdown structure you’ve outlined and see if every participant agrees to the particular tasks that involve them. They need to acknowledge and understand the part they play, the timelines, and what success looks like.

Keep in mind that some of your stakeholders may be remote. Make sure they're included in these conversations and kept in the loop with both real-time and asynchronous communication tools. An open conversation about the plan before the project starts unearths potential issues and avoids time-consuming conflicts and roadblocks once the initiative is rolling.

5 Important RACI matrix guidelines to follow for agile project management

Creating a RACI matrix for your agile team to understand the way you expect them to contribute to a project is a wise business decision. Giving them a way to see the granular parts of a project promotes efficiency and minimizes the risk of the project getting bogged down with misunderstandings and vague guidance.

While a RACI matrix is a straightforward methodology, you can still make mistakes or overlook issues that can cause the project to stumble. Project managers should keep the following four guidelines in mind to create the most successful RACI matrix possible.

1. Make sure to assign the right amount of RESPONSIBLE people

You may have more than a single responsible person for certain tasks on your RACI chart — and that’s okay. Just make sure it’s necessary. If too many people are responsible for the same task, this can bite you with wasted time. Each responsible party may end up duplicating the work of the other. They may have conflicts about how to accomplish their shared tasks.

If you notice that you’ve assigned quite a few tasks with multiple responsible people, consider breaking those tasks down more granularly if you can. Then you can assign a single person to be responsible for each one.

2. Designate one ACCOUNTABLE person for each task

Have you ever heard the saying “too many cooks in the kitchen?” Well, that’s the same dynamic at play here.

Never assign more than one accountable person to a specific task, or you’re asking for trouble. For example, if there are two stakeholders responsible for accountability , they will likely have different ideas of how to complete the deliverable. They may have conflicts about whose way is best and may even end up in gridlock. Other stakeholders must then take time away from their tasks to get involved and sort out the situation.

Another example of more than one accountable person would be each one thinking the other one is handling certain details, and neither of them is. This can leave tasks undone and may hold up the entire project.

The bottom line, you only need one person accountable for every task on your RACI chart.

3. Limit how many CONSULTS you have

While it’s good to have some team members consult on the project and its tasks, avoid assigning too many to a specific task. Everyone has their way of doing things. If there are multiple people giving advice, chances are good they aren’t going to agree on everything. Different ideas can be time consuming to sort through.

When you assign your RACI roles, narrow down the people you designate to consult to the truly necessary ones. You can proactively mitigate issues by avoiding overlap.

4. Keep important stakeholders INFORMED

There will be people in your organization that want to be apprised of the project’s progress. Make this communication a priority. Even though they aren’t playing other roles, it’s vital for the stakeholders who have a vested interest in the project to get regular status updates.

These participants probably don’t care about every little detail of the project. When you inform them, stick to the key points of success, if and where the project is stalled, and what actions are next on the agenda. This high-level view makes sure they’re in the loop without bogging them down in unnecessary details.

5. Keep your team organized and in the know with Range

When managed wisely, organizing projects with a RACI matrix chart decreases unnecessary back and forth, increases the effectiveness of the team’s communication, helps avoid double work, cuts down on conflicts, and gives everyone a clear picture of their tasks.

Savvy project managers understand the importance of using team communication tools to keep initiatives on track on communication flowing. In fact, 25% of respondents don’t have the right technology to enable team collaboration. Range is a collaborative tool that functions both in real time and asynchronously, ensuring every stakeholder has the information they need to do their best work.

Want to know more about how Range can elevate your team’s performance and contribute to your next project’s success?

Try Range for Free

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Creating a RACI matrix: define your team’s roles and responsibilities

How to create and use a RACI Matrix

Working on a complex project can be rewarding, stimulating, and, if we’re honest, frustrating. There are numerous elements that could grind a project manager’s gears, from delays to cost overruns . But there is little more frustrating than realizing too late that a member of the team had no idea they were accountable for a key component of the project.

No matter how talented and experienced your people are or how in-depth your project plan is, mistakes will happen if your team aren’t clear about their responsibilities. Being transparent about who needs to be involved and to what extent on every project task may feel overwhelming. Luckily, there’s a simple way to lay out this information and avoid mistakes due to unclear assignments.

Let’s discuss the RACI matrix and how you can create one to define your team’s roles and responsibilities.

What is a RACI matrix?

A RACI matrix, or RACI chart , is a type of responsibility assignment matrix that’s about making responsibilities clear. In simple terms, it’s a diagram that lists the tasks that make up a project and who is responsible for each task.

RACI stands for the four different levels of involvement someone may have in a task, Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. The ‘tasks’ listed can cover anything from a major milestone to a decision.

The function of a RACI matrix is to limit confusion about who should be responsible for what. That means less finger-pointing, avoidance tactics, and miscommunication when a difficult call needs to be made or an error needs addressing.

Is using a RACI matrix right for my project?

Using a RACI matrix will benefit most projects. However, there are specific scenarios where it’ll work best, such as for projects with a huge number of moving parts. If your project requires the team to work on multiple larger tasks at the same time or involves more than one external team, a RACI matrix will help keep you keep on top of everything.

Equally, that means there are certain projects where a RACI matrix may not be suitable. For example, if a project is relatively simple and responsibilities can be communicated clearly through the team using traditional methods, setting up a RACI matrix might not be worth it. Weigh up the effort of creating a RACI matrix against the benefits it could offer your team and project to see if it’s worthwhile.

RACI matrixes are popular in project management but can also be used for software development, business analytics, construction, and website development, among other disciplines.

A RACI matrix can be useful if:

• The team are known to forget their responsibilities
• There is a culture of finger-pointing
• Workload ends up being unevenly distributed throughout the team
• There is high turnover in the team
• Approvals need to be made quickly and efficiently

A RACI matrix may not be helpful if:

• The project is small
• The same team members retain the same level of responsibility across all tasks
• The team is known for its effective communication and healthy approach to collaboration

How to create a RACI matrix for project management

Now that we know what a RACI matrix is and what it is helpful for (and not helpful for) let’s delve into how to create one. This will help you better manage your team as a project manager.

Understand the definitions

The first step is to understand what RACI means. As mentioned, this stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. Let’s go over what each means.

• Responsible : This team member is responsible for doing the work needed to complete the task. This assignment is task-oriented and can relate to a whole team. There has to be at least one responsible person assigned to each task.
• Accountable : This team member takes charge of delegating work and has the final say over whether a task has been completed successfully or not. This assignment is focused on the outcome. There should only be one Accountable person for each task.
• Consulted : There may be multiple Consulted individuals assigned to a task, depending on its complexity. These people offer unique insights based on expertise and provide feedback on the task based on this and how it’ll impact their future work.
• Informed : Informed team members need to be kept up-to-date on progress relating to the specific task, but they aren’t directly involved. They may be a client or executive.

As you may have realized, some assignments will overlap. For example, the person Responsible for completing the task may also be Accountable.

List the deliverables

Now, let's go over how to set your RACI chart up. The easiest way to do this is using an Excel spreadsheet or similar. 

Start by writing ‘Task’ in cell A1. Then, input the list of tasks that need to be completed in your project below the title in column A. This can include individual tasks, deliverables, milestones, and decisions.

If you like to organize your tasks by category or project phase, you can add headers for each section to divide these up. How you approach this will be dependent on your style of organization and existing project plan.

Add your team members

Starting from cell B1, list the project roles that make up your team in the cells along row 1. You can include your team members’ names if this is going to be helpful. You may also need to include external stakeholders or suppliers if they will be involved, including those who will be assigned as Informed.

Assign the RACI values

The final step is to assign a RACI value to each person against each task. Go through the sheet line by line and populate your matrix based on the definitions above. 

You can even create a separate tab that details the definitions of each role. This can then be used to create a simple drop-down using ‘ data validation ’ if you find this easier than typing in each letter. It can also help avoid errors or typos.

Here’s an example of what your RACI matrix could look like:

Now that you can see it laid out, it becomes clear why a RACI matrix is helpful in keeping track of responsibilities and tasks.

Inform your team

RACI matrixes work best when they’re created collaboratively. Instead of simply assigning responsibilities and expecting your team to fall into line, inform them of your decisions and give them an opportunity to give feedback before finalizing your chart.

Remember the rules and best practices

When you begin using a new, unfamiliar tool, it's best to start out by abiding by its rules and best practices.

Best practices:

• Make sure everyone has been made aware of the decisions you’ve made about their responsibilities before the RACI matrix is approved.
• Don’t add meetings, reports, or repetitive to-dos to the matrix; instead, focus on tasks, milestones, and important decisions that drive the project forward.
• Make sure the task names are recognizable when compared with your project plan. This will help you track progress and pull up details quickly.

RACI rules:

• Don’t forget to assign at least one Responsible person to each task
• Don’t be tempted to assign more than one Accountable person. Doing so will confuse matters further!
• Dole out Responsible assignments carefully so no one person is overwhelmed by tasks.
• Involve every member of your team in every task, even if that means a few individuals are informed on multiple tasks.

The benefits of using a RACI matrix

If you’re not already convinced of the merits of creating a RACI matrix for your current project, let’s review some of the top benefits.

Clarified roles

Clearly delegating roles is fundamental to running a successful project. Even the tightest-knit teams can have slips in communication, and even the most organized individuals can forget a task on their to-do list. 

A RACI matrix makes it clear in no uncertain terms what needs to be done and the role that each person plays in each of those tasks. WIth inflexible definitions supplied for the four assigned roles, there is little room for misinterpretation.

Smooth handovers

When a key team member leaves and a new starter needs to be onboarded, mistakes can occur. With a RACI chart in place, it’s clear what responsibilities a leaver’s replacement needs to be picked up — including what is urgent — even if they’ve forgotten to add it to their handover. A RACI chart can even come in handy when workload needs to be reassigned during paid time off.

Ensures all eventualities are covered

As a project commences, it can be easy to get caught in the weeds. By setting your RACI chart up early, you protect yourself from tasks or decisions being forgotten along the way.

Optimized communication

Having a RACI chart available for all team members to refer to makes it clear when stakeholders need to be informed of updates so they aren’t left out of the loop unintentionally.

Alternatives to RACI charts

There are several alternative ways to approach responsibility assignments. If a RACI chart isn’t the right fit for you, you may be interested in trying out one of these alternatives.

• DACI chart: Standing for Driver, Approver, Contributor, and Informed, a DACI chart seeks to make decision-making roles clear.
• RAPID: Standing for Recommend, Agree, Perform, Input, Decide, a RAPID responsibility matrix is useful in clarifying authority versus accountability, with the Recommend role taking charge of driving the project forward and the Decide role having ultimate responsibility for decision-making.
• RASCI matrix: This final alternative adds a fifth role to the RACI mix. The Supportive role isn’t responsible for any outcomes, instead acting as a support to the Responsible individual.

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Try Forecast out for yourself by signing up for a free trial below.

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RACI Matrix Mastery: Your Comprehensive Guide to Responsibility Assignment

Introduction, what is a raci matrix, raci chart rules and roles, why are raci roles important, who creates the raci matrix, how to create a raci matrix, when should you use a raci matrix, raci model best practices, raci matrix in project management, alternatives to the raci matrix, top 3 project management software helps teams manage their raci charts.

In the world of project management, effective communication and clear delineation of roles and responsibilities are key to successful project completion. Without a proper understanding of who is responsible for what, tasks can be left unattended or duplicated, leading to confusion and delays. That’s where the RACI Matrix comes into play. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the intricacies of the RACI Matrix, explore its rules and roles, understand its importance, learn how to create one, discover the best practices, and explore its application in project management.

The RACI Matrix, also known as the RACI chart or RACI model, is a popular tool used to clarify roles and responsibilities within a project. RACI stands for R esponsible, A ccountable, C onsulted, and I nformed, representing four key roles involved in any task or decision. Each role is assigned a specific responsibility level, ensuring that everyone understands their part in the project.

The RACI Chart follows a set of RACI chart rules that govern the assignment of roles and responsibilities:

Responsible (R) : This role denotes the person or team who is responsible for completing a task or delivering a specific outcome. They are the individuals who actively carry out the work.

Accountable (A) : The accountable role represents the person who is ultimately answerable for the success or failure of the task. This individual makes decisions and ensures that the responsible party completes the task satisfactorily.

Consulted (C) : The consulted role includes individuals who possess relevant knowledge or expertise and are involved in decision-making processes. Their input is sought before making crucial decisions or taking significant actions.

Informed (I) : Individuals in the informed role are kept up to date on the progress and outcomes of the task or project. They need to be aware of the decisions and actions taken but are not directly involved in the task’s execution.

The RACI Model plays a vital role in project management for several reasons. First and foremost, it provides clarity regarding who is responsible for what, minimizing confusion and avoiding duplication of efforts. By clearly defining roles and responsibilities, the RACI Model ensures that tasks are completed efficiently and effectively, reducing the risk of project failure. Furthermore, adhering to RACI matrix rules helps in maintaining a disciplined approach to project management.

Additionally, it promotes accountability. Assigning an accountable role ensures that there is a designated person who takes ownership of the project’s success. This accountability fosters a sense of responsibility among team members, leading to increased productivity and motivation.

Furthermore, the RACI Model encourages effective communication and collaboration. By involving individuals in the consulted and informed roles, the matrix ensures that all relevant stakeholders are included in the decision-making process. This promotes transparency and allows for the integration of diverse perspectives, leading to better outcomes.

The creation of a RACI Matrix is a collaborative effort that involves key stakeholders in the project. The project manager typically takes the lead in developing the matrix, as they have a holistic understanding of the project’s objectives and the roles required for its successful completion. However, it is crucial to involve team members and subject matter experts to ensure accuracy and comprehensive coverage of responsibilities.

Creating a RACI Matrix involves the following steps:

Identify tasks and deliverables : Begin by identifying all the tasks and deliverables involved in the project. Break down the project into manageable components to ensure that nothing is overlooked.

Assign RACI roles : For each task or deliverable, assign the RACI roles. Determine who is responsible for completing the task (R), who is accountable for its success (A), who needs to be consulted (C), and who should be informed (I).

Document the RACI Chart : Create a visual representation of the RACI Chart using a spreadsheet or a specialized project management tool. List the tasks and deliverables in one column and assign the appropriate RACI roles in the adjacent columns.

Review and refine : Once the initial RACI Chart is created, review it with the project team and stakeholders to ensure accuracy and completeness. Make necessary revisions based on feedback and adjust the roles and responsibilities as required.

Communicate and implement : Share the finalized RACI Matrix with the entire project team and stakeholders. Clearly communicate the roles and responsibilities to ensure everyone understands their part in the project. Regularly revisit the matrix throughout the project lifecycle to ensure its relevance and make updates if necessary.

The RACI Matrix is a versatile tool that can be applied in various project scenarios. It is particularly useful in situations where there are multiple stakeholders, complex tasks, or a lack of clarity regarding roles and responsibilities. Here are some situations where using this tool can be beneficial:

Cross-functional projects : In projects involving multiple departments or teams, the RACI Model helps clarify responsibilities and ensure smooth coordination.

Decision-making processes : When critical decisions need to be made, involving the right individuals in the consulted role helps gather diverse perspectives and make informed choices.

Project handovers : During project transitions or handovers, the RACI Matrix ensures a seamless transfer of responsibilities and avoids gaps or duplications.

Process improvement initiatives : When analyzing and optimizing existing processes, the Chart helps identify bottlenecks and areas of improvement by clarifying roles and accountabilities.

To make the most of the RACI Model in project management, consider the following best practices:

Clearly define roles : Ensure that each role’s responsibilities and decision-making authority are clearly defined to minimize confusion and conflicts.

Keep the matrix updated : Regularly review and update the Matrix throughout the project lifecycle to reflect any changes in roles or project requirements.

Involve key stakeholders : Collaborate with project team members, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders to gather insights and ensure comprehensive coverage of responsibilities.

Communicate effectively : Clearly communicate the roles and responsibilities outlined in the Matrix to all team members to avoid misunderstandings and foster a shared understanding.

Train and educate : Provide training and education on the RACI Matrix to team members to ensure they understand its purpose and know how to effectively utilize it.

The RACI Matrix is a powerful tool in project management that enhances collaboration, improves communication, and ensures efficient task allocation. By clarifying roles and responsibilities, it minimizes confusion, reduces risks, and promotes accountability among team members.

Project managers can leverage the RACI Matrix to:

Streamline project execution : By clearly defining roles and accountabilities, the chart helps streamline project execution and ensures that tasks are completed by the right individuals.

Resolve conflicts : In case of conflicts or disputes, the RACI Matrix serves as a reference point to identify the responsible party and facilitate resolution.

Enhance stakeholder engagement : Involving stakeholders in the consulted and informed roles promotes their engagement, fosters a sense of ownership, and improves overall project outcomes.

Improve decision-making : By involving the right individuals in the decision-making process, the RACI Matrix ensures that decisions are well-informed, taking into account diverse perspectives and expertise.

While the RACI Matrix is widely used and effective in many project management scenarios, there are alternative models and tools that can be used based on project requirements and preferences. These RACI chart alternatives and RACI matrix alternatives include:

RASCI Matrix : Similar to the RACI Matrix, the RASCI Matrix adds an additional role called Support (S). This role represents individuals or teams providing support to the responsible party.

DACI Matrix : An alternative to RACI, the DACI Matrix focuses on decision-making. It assigns the roles of Driver, Approver, Contributor, and Informed. It is particularly useful in situations where decision-making is a critical aspect of the project.

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) : RAM is a broader matrix that includes more detailed information about roles, responsibilities, and skills required for each task. It goes beyond the simple RACI roles and provides a more comprehensive view of project assignments.

Role-Function Matrix : Another alternative to RACI ,the Role-Function Matrix focuses on the functions or activities performed by each role within the project. It helps identify and assign specific functions to different team members.

It’s important to note that the suitability of these alternatives depends on the specific project and organizational context. Project managers should carefully evaluate the needs and requirements of their projects before choosing an appropriate model or tool.

monday.com known for its flexibility and user-friendly interface, adeptly integrates the principles of the RACI Matrix into its project management environment. This tool allows users to create custom columns that can be used to assign RACI roles to different team members. For instance, a column for each RACI category (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed) can be set up, and team members can be assigned accordingly. This visual representation makes it clear who is responsible for each task, ensuring that all team members are aligned and aware of their roles. Moreover, the platform’s notification and update features ensure that those in the ‘Consulted’ and ‘Informed’ roles are kept up-to-date on project progress and changes. Monday.com’s strength lies in its ability to adapt to various project management methodologies, making it an ideal choice for teams looking to implement the RACI model in a dynamic and intuitive way.

Further Exploration : There is much more to learn about Monday.com. For an in-depth review, visit Monday.com Review .

Asana , another popular project management tool, provides an effective framework for implementing the RACI Matrix . Asana’s task assignment and tagging features allow for clear delineation of responsibilities and roles. Each task or project in Asana can be tagged with custom tags representing R, A, C, and I roles, ensuring a clear understanding of each team member’s responsibilities. The tool’s comment section and progress updates are instrumental for those in the ‘Consulted’ and ‘Informed’ roles, offering a platform for collaboration and feedback. Asana’s advantage in employing the RACI Matrix lies in its streamlined communication features and task-specific focus, which enhances clarity and accountability in project management. Its user-friendly interface and robust tracking capabilities make Asana an excellent choice for teams seeking an organized and efficient way to apply RACI principles.

• Further Exploration : To discover more about Asana, check out the full review at Asana Review .

ClickUp is renowned for its versatility and comprehensive feature set, making it well-suited for incorporating the RACI Matrix. In ClickUp, custom fields can be created to represent the RACI roles, and tasks can be assigned accordingly. This customization allows for a clear visual representation of who is responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed for each task. ClickUp’s powerful notification system ensures that team members in the ‘Consulted’ and ‘Informed’ roles are always updated on task progress and developments. The platform’s ability to integrate with a multitude of other tools further enhances its utility in a RACI-driven environment, facilitating seamless communication and information flow. ClickUp’s strength in employing the RACI Matrix lies in its customizability and comprehensive nature, which allows for a detailed and nuanced approach to role assignment and project management.

• Further Exploration : To delve deeper into ClickUp, read the full review at ClickUp Review .

In conclusion, the RACI Matrix is a valuable tool in project management that empowers teams to effectively assign and understand roles and responsibilities. By providing clarity, promoting accountability, and facilitating communication, the RACI Matrix contributes to project success. Incorporate this powerful tool into your project management toolkit and watch as it brings order and efficiency to your projects.

For those seeking further insights into the best software options tailored to their unique business requirements, additional information can be found at Top 10 Project Management Software . This resource provides a comprehensive overview, helping businesses make well-informed choices in their quest for the ideal workflow management solution.

What does RACI stand for in the RACI Matrix?

RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. These roles define the levels of responsibility and involvement for tasks and decisions within the RACI Matrix.

Who is responsible for creating the RACI Matrix?

While the project manager typically takes the lead in creating the RACI Matrix, it is important to involve the entire project team and key stakeholders to ensure accuracy and comprehensive coverage of responsibilities.

How often should the RACI Chart be updated?

The RACI Chart should be reviewed and updated regularly throughout the project lifecycle. It is essential to reflect any changes in roles, responsibilities, or project requirements to maintain its accuracy and relevance.

Can a person have multiple roles in the RACI Matrix?

Yes, in some cases, a person can have multiple roles. However, it is important to clearly define and communicate these roles to avoid confusion or conflicts.

What are the benefits of using a RACI Matrix?

The benefits include clarity in roles and responsibilities, accountability, effective communication, collaboration, and simplified decision-making. It helps minimize confusion, reduce risks, and promote project success.

Is the RACI Model applicable only to large projects?

No, the model is applicable to projects of all sizes. It is particularly useful in situations where there are multiple stakeholders, complex tasks, or a need for clear role definition and accountability.

Can the RACI Matrix be used outside of project management?

Yes, the methodology can be applied in various contexts outside of project management, such as process improvement initiatives, organizational decision-making, or any situation that requires clarifying roles and responsibilities.

Are there any limitations to using the RACI Chart?

While the RACI chart is a valuable tool, it has limitations. These include complexity in large projects, potential role overlap or ambiguity, limited flexibility, and the need to avoid over-reliance on a single person for its development and maintenance.

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How to Make a Responsibility Assignment Matrix: Excel RACI Template

What is a responsibility assignment matrix?

How to create a responsibility assignment matrix in excel, free raci template for excel, how to manage raci roles in your teamgantt plan.

A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) is a tool used in project management to clarify team and stakeholder roles for each project step. It paves the way for smooth collaboration by ensuring everyone knows what they need to do, who they need to talk to, and who has the final say on key decisions and deliverables.

RACI—which stands for Responsible , Accountable , Consulted , Informed —is the most popular framework used for assigning roles and responsibilities on projects. Here’s a quick breakdown of RACI categories in basic terms:

• Responsible : Who completes the work?
• Accountable : Who makes decisions? 
• Consulted : Who provides expertise?
• Informed : Who needs status updates?

Of course, RACI isn’t the only responsibility assignment matrix out there. These RACI alternatives provide a small sample of other approaches you might come across in project management.

• RASCI (or RASIC) matrix : This RACI alternative adds one extra role into the responsibility assignment mix. In the RASCI model, the S stands for Supportive . While this role covers anyone who will lend the Responsible person a hand with the work, a Supportive team member isn’t responsible for the outcome.
• DACI matrix : DACI stands for Driver , Approver , Contributor , Informed and is used to outline decision-making roles and responsibilities for projects. In this framework, the project manager or leader typically serves as the Driver guiding the team to a decision.‍
• RAPID responsibility matrix : RAPID stands for Recommend , Agree , Perform , Input , Decide and is another decision-making framework used to define authority vs accountability. The Recommend role kicks things off by suggesting an action, while the Decide role has the ultimate say in how things move forward. ‍
• CARS : CARS stands for Communicate , Approver , Responsible , Support . In this model, Communicate combines RACI’s Consulted and Informed roles into a single assignment. Someone with the Communicate role lends their expertise and needs to be kept up-to-date on progress. The Approver is the main decision-maker who calls the shots.

Lots of people use spreadsheets to make a responsibility assignment matrix for their projects, so let’s walk through the basic steps of building one in Excel, using the RACI framework as our model.

Looking for an online solution? See how TeamGantt's RACI feature integrates into your project plan.

1. List project tasks and deliverables in column A

First, make a list of all the work that needs to be done for your project down the left side of your matrix. Enter each project task, milestone, or decision in column A of your Excel worksheet. 

Feel free to group tasks by project phase like we’ve done in the screenshot below. That way, your RACI matrix is easy to scan and read.

2. Add team members or project roles across row 1

Starting with column B, label each column header with the name of a team member and/or project role. 

Include the people who will execute and review work for the project, as well as any subject matter experts or stakeholders you may need to consult or keep in the loop along the way.

3. Insert a new worksheet for roles and definitions

Click Insert > Insert Sheet from the Home ribbon at the top of your Excel workbook.

Go to your new worksheet, and list each letter of the RACI acronym in column A. Then enter the corresponding role for each letter in column B. We also included RACI definitions in column C as a handy reference for anyone who might need a refresher.

You’ll use this worksheet to populate a drop-down list on the main RACI matrix tab to make it easier to assign roles quickly.

4. Add a drop-down list of roles to your matrix

Now, go back to your main worksheet, and click into the first open cell in your matrix.

On the ribbon, click Data > Data validation to insert a drop-down list with RACI roles.

On the Settings tab, choose List under the Allow menu.

Click into the Source field, then highlight the data range with your options from the RACI Roles & Definitions worksheet you set up in Step 3. We highlighted cells A2-A5 in our example.

Verify your Data validation settings are correct, then hit Enter to add the drop-down list to your selected cell.

Copy and paste that cell to apply the drop-down list to other cells in your RACI matrix worksheet.

5. Color-code assignments with conditional formatting

Click Conditional Formatting > New Rule on the Home tab. Select Classic > Format only cells that contain > Specific text > containing . Enter the letter R in the text box, then choose Custom Format , and apply a background color (and any other styles you want). 

Repeat this step for each additional letter in the acronym.

6. Assign a RACI value to everyone on every task

You’re almost there! Now go down the list of tasks on your responsibility assignment matrix, and assign a role to every person who will be involved in that project step or deliverable.

Want to build a responsibility assignment matrix of your own, but don't want to start from scratch? Download our ready-made Excel template for free. This blank RACI template is fully editable, so you can customize it for any project you manage. 

We added drop-downs for assigning RACI roles more easily and included a RACI chart example tab as reference in case you need a little extra guidance.

Download: RACI matrix template for Excel

You can easily upload your final matrix to your TeamGantt project . But if you don’t want to worry about outdated spreadsheets that get forgotten once work begins, why not assign RACI roles directly to your plan?

Here’s how to use TeamGantt’s online RACI feature for your next project.

Assigning RACI roles and responsibilities to TeamGantt tasks

• Open your project, and toggle to the RACI tab. This will display all your project tasks in a list format (rows). On the right side of the matrix, you’ll see a column for each person currently invited to the project with cells for each task in the project. 
• Click the cell below each person who needs to be assigned a role on a task, and choose one of the RACI options from the drop-down.

Viewing RACI matrix assignments for your project

There are 2 simple ways to view RACI assignments in TeamGantt:

• From the Gantt tab : If someone is assigned to a task and has a RACI role on that task, the RACI value will appear in parentheses next to that person’s name on the gantt chart. Just be aware that you won’t see RACI assignments for people who haven’t been assigned to a specific task in Gantt view.

• From the RACI tab : To access your project’s full RACI matrix, simply toggle to the RACI tab for that project. You’ll find RACI assignments for every person playing a role—whether or not they’re the one responsible for doing the work.

Keep teams in sync—and accountable—with TeamGantt

A RACI chart is a simple tool that makes projects easier to manage by creating less confusion and more accountability. But you’ve got more than roles and responsibilities to keep straight.

TeamGantt makes it easy to build a project plan your whole team can contribute to and collaborate on. Everything happens online, so you can stay on top of deadlines and monitor progress in real time.

Use our built-in RACI chart to assign roles and keep them visible from project start to finish, so everyone knows how they contribute to success.

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The Defense Acquisition Encyclopedia

Program Management

A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) describes the participation of various organizations, people, and their roles in completing tasks or deliverables for a project. The Program Manager (PM) uses it to clarify roles and responsibilities in a cross-functional team , projects, and processes. A RAM has four primary assignments: Responsible , Accountable , Consulted , and Informed (also called a RACI matrix).

Definition: A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) describes the role and responsibilities of various people and/or organizations in completing specific tasks for a project.

Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed (RACI) Matrix

A RAM is called a Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed (RACI) matrix. The PMBOK Guide 4th Edition defines RACI as a RAM that illustrates the connections between work packages or activities and project team members. In fundamental terms, RAM refers to the framework in place to distribute duties to individuals where, in a RACI, each team member is assigned a role based on one of the four roles. On larger projects, RAMs can be developed at various levels.

• Responsible (R): Those who do the work to achieve the task. There is typically one role with a participation type of responsibility, although others can be delegated to assist in the work required.
• Accountable (A): The one ultimately accountable for the correct and thorough completion of the deliverable or task, and the one to whom Responsible is accountable. In other words, an Accountable must sign off (Approve) on work that Responsible provides. There must be only one Accountable specified for each task or deliverable.
• Consulted (C): Those whose opinions are sought and with whom there is two-way communication.
• Informed (I): Those who are kept up-to-date on progress, often only on completion of the task or deliverable, and with whom there is just one-way communication.

Benefit of Utilizing a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)

The RAM holds substantial advantages for project managers by clarifying the importance of their processes within the team. It fosters a sense of collective contribution among all employees, eliminating the sense of isolation. This project management technique, the RAM, empowers every team member to grasp the broader context of their work. Instead of simply instructing an administrative assistant to collect phone numbers without context, you can refer them to this valuable resource. By using the RAM, employees become more engaged in achieving positive results as they comprehend the alignment of their contributions with the company’s overall operations.

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Goal in Project Management

A RAM is used in project management as a communication tool to ensure that work tasks are designated as a responsible agent. A RAM can define what a project team is responsible for within each component of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) . It could also be used within a working group to designate roles, responsibilities, and levels of authority for specific activities. The matrix format shows all activities associated with one person and all people associated with one activity. This ensures that only one person is accountable for any task to avoid confusion.

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Tutorial

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Standard Format

A RAM is displayed as a chart that illustrates the interaction between work packages that need to be done and project team members. Typically, the list of objectives is on the left-hand column with the project team member names across the top. Each work package will be assigned to the appropriate project team member. The chart aids in communication among the project team members.

No one should typically have more than one degree of responsibility for any given deliverable or activity group in the RAM chart. To simplify things, we’ve assigned each participant in this scenario a certain amount of commitment. However, there is frequently white space when you create a genuine model for more than four people. In some situations, it’s okay to have someone with secondary responsibility but not primary.

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Template

Template: responsibility assignment matrix (ram) (excel), 6 steps to developing a responsibility assignment matrix (ram).

Below is a list of the 6 (six) most common steps in developing a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM).

• Step 1: List all project tasks and deliverables
• Step 2: Identify all project stakeholders
• Step 3: Determine the responsibility and accountability level for each task and deliverable
• Step 4: Assign stakeholders to each task
• Step 5: Assign overall stakeholder
• Step 6: Ensure all stakeholder know their responsibility

Developing Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Matrix Best Practices

Below is a list of best practice topics that can help Program Managers effectively build and use a Responsibility Assignment Matrix.

• One stakeholder is in charge per task.
• The least amount of people accountable, the better.
• Be Efficient with Meetings.
• Constant Communication.
• Stakeholders agree on final RAM

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Lessons Learned

A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a tool used in project management to identify and clarify the roles and responsibilities of the different people or groups working on a project. The goal of making a RAM is to make sure that all tasks are done and that responsibilities don’t overlap or get missed. Here are some things you can learn to make sure your RAM is built right:

• Define the project’s goals and scope in detail:  Before making a RAM, it’s important to have a clear idea of the project’s goals and scope. This will help make sure that all necessary tasks are included and that the responsibilities are in line with the overall project goals.
• Find out who all the stakeholders are and what their roles are:  A RAM should have a list of all the people or groups involved in the project, such as internal team members, external partners, and customers. There should be roles and responsibilities for each stakeholder.
• Give each stakeholder specific tasks and responsibilities:  Instead of giving each stakeholder a general role, it is important to give them specific tasks and responsibilities. This will help make sure that no one’s responsibilities get mixed up or left out.
• Make sure that all stakeholders know about and understand the RAM:  It is important to make sure that all stakeholders know about and understand the RAM. This can be done by having regular meetings and giving updates, as well as by putting the RAM in writing.
• Review and update the RAM often: As the project moves forward, it may be necessary to review and update the RAM. This can help make sure that the RAM stays correct and helps the project reach its goals.

Difference Between a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RMA) and a Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed (RACI) Matrix

The PMBOK Guide 4th Edition defines RACI as a RAM that is used to illustrate the connections between work packages in a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and project team members. The difference between a RAM matrix and RACI matrix is:

• A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) describes the participation of various organizations, people, and their roles in completing tasks or deliverables in a Work Break Down Structure (WBS) for a project.
• A Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed (RACI) matrix is used on projects where multiple groups of people as assigned a task. It helps on larger projects with a lot of people and organizations. It also helps with outside stakeholders and their responsibilities on a project.
• A RACI can have multiple RAM within it.

AcqLinks and References:

• Template: Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Template (Word)
• Template: Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Template (Excel)

Updated: 1/11/2024

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Responsibility Assignment Matrix: Template, Example & Benefits

Home Blog Project Management Responsibility Assignment Matrix: Template, Example & Benefits

Your team is the most crucial resource in completing a job. They must adhere to the project's schedule and budget. Controlling the project requires everyone involved to understand their roles and duties when carrying out tasks and accomplishing project objectives. How can all the participants in a project be coordinated so that they are aware of what they are doing and do not prevent others from carrying out their tasks? An assignment of responsibility matrix can be useful.

Your project will have a productive crew thanks to an assignment matrix. You can take an online PMP course to learn the details included in RAM, Responsibility Assignment Matrix in project management, and Responsibility Assignment Matrix example, to advance your career.

What is a Responsibility Assignment Matrix in Project Management?

So, what is the responsibility assignment matrix?  A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM), sometimes referred to as a RACI chart or RACI matrix, in project management identifies all relevant stakeholders and specifies roles for cross-functional teams and their level of involvement in a project. Each letter in the acronym RACI, which stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed, refers to a different team member in the Responsibility Assignment Matrix in Project Management.

1. Responsible

The team member that oversees finishing the assignment is the person responsible for the RAM, Responsibility Assignment Matrix. The person in charge may be tasked with gathering all the visual and data assets required to put together the presentation if your team is working on a pitch deck (Responsible for executing the task).

2. Accountable

The responsible team member distributes the tasks to the other team members and ensures that they are finished accurately and on time. This team member oversees making sure the project is completed on schedule and that the tasks are fairly distributed among the accountable parties (Has governing & directing authority).

3. Consulted

A responsible party in Responsibility Assignment Matrix Project Management may frequently need to consult an expert, who serves as the consulted person, to finish certain responsibilities. A professional analysis of the consulted party is required when someone is tasked with gathering marketing statistics for a presentation. They also need to ensure that the data the responsible party is required to submit is accurate (Provide insights, analysis or expert judgment).

4. Informed

The informed party needs to be aware of when the major project components are finished even though they may not be directly involved in all the steps to ensure that everything is running smoothly. The informed team member must be aware of any delays or stalls in the project as they must complete their tasks (Updated with project information and outcome).

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Goal in Project Management

The goal of the Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is to clearly define roles and responsibilities of everyone on a project team. This ensures that everyone understands their role and how it fits into the bigger picture. RAM also allows for quick identification of whom to contact when an issue arises. It might also be applied within a working group to establish authority levels, roles, and duties for tasks.

The matrix format displays each person's associated actions and each person's associated people. To avoid confusion, this makes sure that there is only one person responsible for each task. It is also important to outline the dates and reminders for each participant, so that they are aware of their deliverables/plans to fulfill the deliverables. The best Project Management Certification programs online will teach you how to make efficient decisions and effectively use RAM.

How to Create a Responsibility Assignment Matrix?

A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a table that shows the tasks needed to be completed as part of a project, who is responsible for each task, and when the task needs to be completed. Making a matrix to distribute responsibilities is not as challenging as getting everyone on board with their respective jobs and responsibilities.

You should therefore involve your staff in the process, receive their feedback, and eventually secure their buy-in without expending excessive time and effort on it. You will have a successful responsibility assignment if you follow these instructions to ensure that everyone is on the same page. 

• List every person involved in the project, including the team, stakeholders, and everyone in between.
•  List each project deliverable that you can think of. To make sure you do not overlook any, use a work breakdown framework.  
•  To discuss how to carry out the tasks and produce the deliverables, meet with the team members. The duty and authority of the team for each assignment must be discussed.
•  Utilizing a table with the project tasks specified in the left-hand column, create a Responsibility Assignment Matrix. Print the names of everyone involved in the project across the top.
• Assign whether a project team member is liable, accountable, consulted, or informed where the tasks meet them.  
•  Share the completed Responsibility Assignment Matrix Template Word with the project team and stakeholders. If necessary, conduct a meeting to ensure that everyone is aware of their responsibilities for the project. Print a copy, and if you are working in a common location, post it.

Developing Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Best Practices

The best practices for developing a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) will vary depending on the specific project and organization. However, some tips on how to develop a RAM matrix effectively include the following:

• Define the project scope and objectives clearly, so that all stakeholders understand the parameters of the project and what is expected to be accomplished.
• Assign clear roles and responsibilities to individuals and teams so that everyone knows who is responsible for what aspect of the project.
• Make sure that the Responsibility Assignment Matrix PMP is kept up to date as the project progresses so that everyone is aware of any changes in roles and responsibilities.
• Use the RAM matrix as a tool to help identify potential risks and issues related to the project so that they can be addressed early on.
• One stakeholder leads a task.
• The lesser number of people are accountable, the better.
• Act efficiently with meetings.
• Continuous communication.
• Stakeholder agreement on final RAM.

Responsibility Assignment Matrix Examples and Templates

• Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RACI) 
• RACI-VS (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed- “V”erification and “S”ign off)
• RASCI (Responsible, Accountable, Support, Consulted, Informed)
• RAC (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted)
• ARCI (Accountable, Responsible, Consulted, Informed)
• RATSI (Responsibility, Authority, Task, Support, Informed)
• PACSI (Perform, Accountable, Control, Suggest, Informed)
• RACIQ (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed, Quality Review)
• DACI (Driver, Approver, Contributors, Informed)
• CAIRO (Consulted, Accountable, Informed, Responsible, Omitted)

Downloadable Responsibility Assignment Matrix Template Excel

Download the Responsibility Assignment Matrix Template (xlsx) here!

This Responsibility Assignment Matrix template is available for free in both Excel and OpenDocument Spreadsheet formats. The template can be completely modified using Microsoft Excel and adjusted to meet the needs of your project. To make it simple to understand what is required of each worker on each task, the template employs conditional formatting to change the color of each cell.

Download a Printable Responsibility Assignment Matrix PDF

Download the Responsibility Assignment Matrix Template (PDF) here!

If you intend to design a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM), you may require samples and templates to use as a guide, regardless of whether you are managing an event, a construction project, or a restaurant. Some of the templates are-

• Responsibility Assignment Matrix Sample
• Responsibility Assignment Matrix for Construction Project Template
• Basic Responsibility Assignment Matrix Sample
• Responsibility Assignment Matrix in PDF

Benefits of Responsibility Assignment Matrix

There are many benefits of the Responsibility Assignment Matrix. One benefit is that it helps to ensure that everyone on a project team understands their roles and responsibilities. This can help to prevent misunderstandings and conflict between team members. Another benefit of using RAM is that it can help to improve communication between team members.

By clearly defining roles and responsibilities, team members will know whom to go to for specific information or tasks. This can help to avoid confusion and delays. Lastly, RAM can help to improve project management by providing a clear overview of who is responsible for what. This can help project managers to identify potential problems or areas where there may be a lack of resources.

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A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a tool used to identify and define the roles and responsibilities of individuals and groups within an organization. It is a means of clarifying who is responsible for what and ensuring that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. RAM can be used to create accountability and ownership for tasks and projects, and to identify potential areas of conflict.

It is a valuable tool for effective project management and can help to ensure that everyone involved in a project is aware of their roles and responsibilities. It can also help to identify potential areas of conflict and ensure that tasks are properly assigned. The KnowledgeHut online PMP course will give you an insight into the Responsibility Assignment Matrix and can be a helpful tool for any project manager.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. what is included in a responsibility assignment matrix.

A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a tool used to help define and assign roles and responsibilities for a project or process. The matrix typically includes a list of tasks or deliverables and the people or groups responsible for each. 

2. What can a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) eliminate?

RAM eliminates ambiguity and confusion over who is responsible for what on a project. It also provides a clear overview of who is responsible for each task, making it easier to hold team members accountable.

3. What does a Responsibility Assignment Matrix not show?

The duty assignment matrix links resources to the tasks or work packages they must do, but it does not indicate when they will be required to do their work.

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Kevin D. Davis is a seasoned and results-driven Program/Project Management Professional with a Master's Certificate in Advanced Project Management. With expertise in leading multi-million dollar projects, strategic planning, and sales operations, Kevin excels in maximizing solutions and building business cases. He possesses a deep understanding of methodologies such as PMBOK, Lean Six Sigma, and TQM to achieve business/technology alignment. With over 100 instructional training sessions and extensive experience as a PMP Exam Prep Instructor at KnowledgeHut, Kevin has a proven track record in project management training and consulting. His expertise has helped in driving successful project outcomes and fostering organizational growth.

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Understanding the Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RACI Matrix)

The Responsibility Assignment Matrix also referred to as RACI Matrix or Responsibility Accountability Matrix is a key tool an organization can use to ensure successful completion of projects. The matrix helps managers know who plays what role or performs which duties during a project.

If this isn’t clearly defined it can lead to a common problem when carrying out projects, where conflicts arise over who is to do what, some team members having more workload, understaffing of the project and so on. That is why the RACI matrix comes in handy in project management . By developing the matrix a manager can ensure everybody knows what is expected of them and team members stick to specific roles assigned to them, therefore avoiding confusion and problems in the project.

The Four Roles in RACI Matrix

RACI is an acronym for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed  the four roles team members can be assigned in a project. In the matrix, tasks are listed in the first column and project members in the top row of the table.

The Acronym RACI Stands For:

Responsible (r).

This refers to the individual who will perform a task. Each task has to have at least one person who completes it. If an R is missing in any of the matrix rows that task has not been assigned to anyone creating a gap that needs to be filled immediately. For tasks, they can be several people expected to perform it who then report to the person accountable.

Accountable (A)

This is the individual who is ultimately answerable for the decisions to be made for a task. They most likely are the project manager or a senior official who have final say over the tasks. To be efficient the number of people accountable for each task should not be many. For most projects one listed accountable person is ideal.

Consulted (C)

This is the go-to person for advice on the project.  They should be an expert on matters relating to the project whose opinion is sort before making final decisions or taking certain action. For example, if you are working on technical tasks consultations with the IT administrator for expert advice will be necessary. The number of consultants per task, however, should be minimum. Too many C’s may prolong a task because of a lot of unnecessary deliberations and they might be a risk of poor plan execution.

Informed (I)

These are people in the team who have to be updated on the project progress or decisions. These individuals are in most cases informed once a task is completed and then take the necessary next step i.e. to mark that project as done, once update. Communication with the informed is usually one-way and they don’t contribute directly to the task.

Creating a RACI Matrix (Step-By-Step)

• Identify all project tasks and activities and put this on the left-hand side of the matrix according to how they will be completed.
• Identify all the individuals and groups involved in the project and list them at the top of the chart.
• Figure out who does what-This is a very crucial part of the formation of the matrix. Here the project manager identifies the people to be assigned to each task. While doing this ensure you match skill sets to tasks.
• Develop the matrix- At this stage, you assign team members their association . They will either be Responsible, Accountable, Consulted or Informed for each task. Best practice dictates that you start with the “R’s”- because they are the people performing the tasks necessary to complete the project. Then move on to the “A’s” who are ultimately answerable for the process. Finally, assign the “C’s” and ‘I’s” individuals who have no direct responsibility in the project but are needed for it to succeed.
• Share and discuss the RACI Matrix- when done constructing the matrix send it out to the team members involved and ask for feedback. From their feedback make any necessary changes. By doing this you will be ensuring you haven’t left anything important out and all involved are clear about what is required of them. The final matrix should be one that all stakeholders agree on before starting work on the process.

RACI Example

A company is working on developing an App that will boost its online sales. David is developing this App that will run on software developed by Mark. Simon is overseeing the project as manager and Irene is in marketing. David has the task of coming up with the App so in the matrix, he is the Responsible person. Simon is Accountable and Mark needs to be consulted because his software will run the App. Finally, Irene needs to be informed when the App is ready so that she can take the next step and promote it.

Questions to Ask Before Finalizing Your RACI Matrix

To be certain assignments are reasonable to ask these questions

• Are too many responsibilities given to one person? If so should they be given to someone else?
• Does every task have an appropriate number of consulted and informed?
• Does every role have a responsible and accountable person?
• In the case of complex tasks can smooth decision making be done by one accountable person or should there be more than one to ease decision making?

Once you answer these questions positively you can begin working with your matrix. That, however, doesn’t mean that the matrix should remain the same to the conclusion of the project. You have to constantly re-evaluate it and make changes when the need arises due to work changes over time.

Variations of RACI Matrix

They are other Responsibility Assignment models that add on to this matrix. Examples include :

RASIC – This has the RACI Matrix associations Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed but adds a 5 th association which is Supportive. These are individuals tasked with assisting the responsible party to perform the task.

RACIO – Also has a Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed person but also includes Omitted. This is employees not involved in a task. This helps give clarity and ownership of roles.

RACI-VS – Here two more associations are also included. The two are “Verify” and “Sign off”. Verify, this means reviewing a task at the end to ensure it has been done and completed properly. Sign Off mostly happens at the very end and gives a seal of approval that a task has concluded successfully. These two steps should not be done for all project tasks, it should only be for tasks that absolutely require it.

As a project manager having a RACI Matrix will make you confident that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined for the team. Every task has a person doing it and duplication of work is unlikely to happen.

One of the best things the RACI Matrix helps get rid of is the passing of blame amongst team members because if work is not done it is very clear where the buck stops and who is letting the others down. The RACI Matrix is a good project management tool but it should be noted that it cannot address issues such as poor teamwork or low morale among employees for that you would have to figure out how to motivate the group, maybe by giving rewards for a successful project.

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I am a mother of a lovely kid, and an avid fan technology, computing and management related topics. I hold a degree in MBA from well known management college in India. After completing my post graduation I thought to start a website where I can share management related concepts with rest of the people.

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What is the RACI Model?

Project management is constantly evolving in its technology and trends, from RACI to Gantt and back. It’s no wonder that sometimes it feels like a Pandora’s box of different decision makers, project roles, and responsibilities. This is particularly true if you don’t have a project plan and the structures in place to complete the task milestones from start to finish while managing the responsible parties involved.

Without this, it’s pretty easy for the right hand to be in the dark about what the left hand is doing. One steadfast method involves the use of something called a RACI chart. In this blog, we’ll cover what the RACI model is, why it’s important for a healthy project management environment, and how to implement it the right way.

What does RACI mean?

The acronym RACI stands for responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed . This is how each of the 4 components is defined:

• Responsible: a manager or team member who is directly responsible for successfully completing a project task.
• Accountable: the person with final authority over the successful completion of the specific task or deliverable.
• Consulted: someone with unique insights the team will consult.
• Informed: a client or executive who isn’t directly involved, but you should keep up to speed.

There are other variations of this method. RACI is the base level, the vanilla ice cream of responsibility matrices. Other versions add their own unique flavors — peanut butter, cookies, and more. RASCI, for example adds the 5th level, support, to the matrix. This could look like a senior developer who works on another project but also has unique experience working with APIs.

What is RACI in project management?

Also called a RACI matrix, RACI charts are a type of responsibility assignment matrices in project management. These simple spreadsheets or tables highlight the different states of responsibility a stakeholder has over a particular task or deliverable and denotes it with the letters R, A, C, or I. It’s typically implemented by color-coding each responsibility level and creating a simple table layout.

Generally, nobody should have more than a single responsibility level for each deliverable or activity group in the RACI chart.  In this example, we’ve given every person some level of involvement to keep things simple. But when you make a real model for more than four people, there’s often more white space. We will get more into how class RACI looks and functions later.

Why do you need a RACI?

The goal of the RACI model is to bring structure and clarity regarding the roles that stakeholders play within a project. This responsibility assignment matrix instills confidence in each responsible person because they know what they are doing— this type of stakeholder engagement is crucial, according to a 2020 study by Wellingtone . In fact, it was ranked as the highest-valued project management process.

RACI provides a concrete and intentional framework to manage all relationships appropriately, from start to finish. A large scale project could involve many stakeholders, like:

• Government regulators
• VIP clients and project sponsors
• Company executives
• Business analysts
• Internal users of the product

Mapping all of their responsibilities out from the beginning and sharing them is an excellent way to avoid miscalculations and blunders that could cost you precious time and money. And of course, it will contribute to your overall stakeholder engagement efforts.

Research-backed tips for effective stakeholder engagement

Before we get into the technical components of creating a RACI chart, let’s dive into stakeholder engagement briefly. A recent McKinsey study highlighted three key areas for engaging external stakeholders effectively — a corporate purpose, active use of technology, and organizational agility.

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How can you apply this research? Check out these tips.

1. Map out deliverables and activity groups thoroughly before using RACI

Don’t jump immediately into assigning individual responsibilities. Start by consulting with subject matter experts and accurately mapping out the moving parts. Only once you’ve got a clear outline of your project can you make educated decisions. That could be your Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) or a project roadmap.

2. Don’t be afraid to give responsibility to less senior staff

Assigning the accountable role to a high-level executive or project manager for all tasks is a mistake. Since they have the final say on when a job is complete, you instantly create a bottleneck. Instead, don’t be afraid to assign that role to experienced staff on the project team itself, who is most familiar with the work.

3. Standardize the approach across departments and locations

While a single project team is good, stakeholder relationships don’t exist in a vacuum. Your whole organization must get on board to truly maximize the return on investment. Make distributed responsibility and decision-making part of your corporate purpose. Everyone — from executive to intern — must be on the same page.

4. Use the right digital tools to implement RACI at scale

A written memo isn’t enough to standardize your methods and remove departmental silos. Use digital tools to build a platform for efficient RACI implementation and stakeholder management.

Who uses a RACI matrix?

Even though the RACI model is a project manager’s useful tool for stakeholder management, that doesn’t mean it should be used for all projects. The deciding factors on who uses it relate to the scale of the project and the company structure.

Use the RACI matrix for projects that are:

• Large-scale with clear-cut deliverables or workgroups
• For organizations with static roles and responsibilities
• Involving a wide variety of stakeholders for different aspects
• Spanning multiple departments
• In highly regulated industries

Don’t use the RACI matrix for:

• Small, single-department projects — it’s likely not necessary
• Teams working with an Agile framework like Scrum

In Agile organizations, cross-functional teams and collaboration is the default. So task responsibility depends on the employees’ initiative rather than a top-down decision. For Agile teams, implementing a hard version of RACI will likely not be helpful, as teams should be self-organizing.

What should a RACI include? RACI model guidelines

RACI has a set of general guidelines to help you implement the method successfully:

• Only 1 accountable per task or deliverable.
• Only 1 responsibility type per person. If you don’t follow this, the RACI matrix will be more confusing than helpful.
• The accountable person needs to have the authority to help finish the task.
• Only the responsible and accountable roles are mandatory for every task. Not every task is complex enough to need outside input or warrant informing anyone else.
• Prioritize effective communication with the consulting person.
• Always keep all stakeholders informed. Even the lowest level needs to know about updates and changes to the project.

How to create a RACI chart with monday.com

While there is a wide variety of project management apps out there, in the particular case of a RACI, monday.com project management provides an outstanding offering of robust integrations and extensibility that allow you to build the exact platform you need to manage this structure and more.

You can get started much quicker with our RACI matrix template and share it with the entire team. Keep track of the RACI roles for all project activities and easily see project phases and individual deliverables for each.

In addition to customizations on columns, statuses, and more, easily assign roles to internal users or guest users created for external stakeholders. All assigned roles will automatically get informed of status changes to the work item.

Here are a few more ways you can get the most out of your RACI matrix.

Continually update and revise to reflect the real-time statuses

An out-of-date RACI diagram helps nobody. Use board permissions to let responsible users directly edit the status of the row themselves.

Keep stakeholders involved with shared boards and dashboards

With monday.com, you can easily give them viewer access to project and workflow boards. That way, they know the actual status of the project in real-time. They can then use that information to guide their decisions. You can also inform stakeholders of crucial changes automatically with automations.

Our integrations with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Gmail let you send messages based on status changes, new items, missed due dates, and more.

Remove data silos to keep everyone on the same page

Naturally, every department uses a different set of tools and applications. monday.com’s robust integrations make it easy to bring all of this data And even if you use custom business apps, you can easily integrate them into monday.com using our API and 50+ pre-built adaptors.

RAPID vs.RACI— What’s the difference?

Sometimes when you want to define RACI, it’s important to use another method for comparison.

RAPID and RACI are both two important tools for project managers, but they have different functions. As we have seen, the RACI method revolves around deliverables and the key person responsible throughout each stage of the process. RAPID however, focuses primarily on the decision-making process and the actions made by an organization.

You can see the breakdown of RAPID here:

While making a key decision is a part of the project management process, it’s not the whole journey. The RACI framework outlines who should do a task, who to keep in the loop, and who gets the final say.

Empower stakeholders and don’t miss a beat with monday.com RACI charts

The RACI matrix is an excellent method for assigning responsibilities and keeping stakeholders engaged throughout the journey because it clarifies where everyone should focus their energy and makes it easy for people to lead the way in their area of expertise.

That being said, the platform and tools you use to make it automated and up to date can have a significant impact on its success. Use our RACI template and share it with your entire team to ensure everyone understands and deals with it accordingly.

• Project change management
• Project risk management
• Project schedule management

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