Accountability: Great Info On The RASCI / RACI Matrix
Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed - The RACI Matrix for better project management
What is a RACI Matrix? According to MindTools, "The RACI Matrix is a system that brings structure and clarity to assigning the roles people play within a team. It is a simple grid system that you can use to clarify people’s responsibilities and ensure that everything the team needs to do is taken care of." Sounds complicated, How do I use it? Again from the MindTools article, "Using the RACI system, you list every task, milestone and decision, then clarify who is responsible, who is accountable, and where appropriate, who needs to be consulted or informed." The acronym RACI stands for:
Responsible - these people are the “doers” of the work. They must complete the task or objective or make the decision. Several people can be jointly responsible.
Accountable - this person is the “owner” of the work. He or she must sign off or approve when the task, objective or decision is complete. This person must make sure that responsibilities are assigned in the matrix for all related activities. There is only one person accountable, which means that “the buck stops there.”
Consulted - these are the people who need to give input before the work can be done and signed-off on. These people are “in the loop” and active participants.
Informed - these people need to be kept “in the picture.” They need updates on progress or decision, but they do not need to be formally consulted, nor do they contribute directly to the task or decision.Explanation of RACI, RASCI, and RASIC
In stead of the term RACI, sometimes also the terms RASCI or RASIC are used.RASCI is an abbreviation forR = Responsible - owns the problem / project
A = to whom "R" is Accountable - who must sign off (Approve) on work before it is effective
( S = can be Supportive ) - can provide resources or can play a supporting role in implementation
C = to be Consulted - has information and/or capability necessary to complete the work
I = to be Informed - must be notified of results, but need not be consultedUnderstanding Processes Using RACI Charts
With a standard RACI there are four responsibilities and issues to consider with each when the charts are generated:
Responsible [R] – This is the person, or group, who is responsible for performing a task. Bear in mind the old adage that when nobody is responsible for getting something done then nothing gets done. Also, a similar situation can occur when too many people are potentially responsible with little to no coordination and oversight to ensure that the task is completed. Another issue to consider is when a person has lots of “R’s”. Are they doing too much?
Accountable [A] – This is the person who is held accountable for the task being complete. In some cases, risks can be managed by segregating the responsible and accountable roles. In general, one person should be accountable for a task being performed. At the same time, if a person is accountable for most of the steps in a procedure, one must consider if there is a segregation of duties issue wherein the person(s) control an excessive amount of the procedure.
Consulted [C] – These are the people communicated with prior to a task being performed. Essentially, their input is sought after and factored in prior to action taking place. As the number of parties consulted with increases, the speed with which action can be taken decreases. Conversely, too few and improper decisions may be made
Informed [I] – These are the parties who are notified about a task after it has been performed. If the correct parties aren’t informed in some situations, then incidents can arise from groups wondering what changed. At the same time, if there are lots of people being informed, is it necessary?
Supports [S] - Some groups add this in as a fifth responsibility. “S” identifies a person or group who provide resources for a task to be completed. When charts include this category, they are referred to as “RASCI charts” but otherwise are identical to RACI charts.When/under what circumstances should I use a RASCI model and how do I use it?
The RASCI chart is a planning tool. This means that you should use it at the very beginning of a project once you have determined its size and scope and who the project "players" will be. In our learning and performance improvement project planning work, we usually begin with a timeline that lays out all of the tasks to be accomplished and the estimated number of person days each will require for completion. Once the timeline is established, we then turn to our RASCI chart to list the same tasks as in the timeline, list the project participants, determine the roles each person will play for each task and - our innovation we believe - the estimate of time required for the person to execute his or her assigned role for that task.
Every step requires an R. Many steps require an A, S or C. I is only noted if someone requires information on the project tasks but plays no active role (e.g., a manager; unions). Within each step, estimate the number of hours (or days) it will take each participant to perform her/his part. Enter the estimate in the lower right box for each task/participant. Here is an example of a RASCI chart filled in.
These are just a few of the great sites with solid information on RASCI/RACI. Here are a few more resources with additional info:
- Role & Responsibility Charting (RACI) - 14 page PDF, great info and detail
- RACI diagram via Wikipedia - samples, variations, methods and more
- Getting a Seat at the Table - Insightful RACI post with great info, detail and sample diagram
- RACI Matrix Example - Sample RACI Matrix in Microsoft Word, also available as HTML
- Sample RACI Chart of Responsibilities - Sample chart in PDF, View as HTML
- RACI CHART EXAMPLE PLAN-DO-REVIEW PROCESS - RACI chart example as part of PLAN-DO-REVIEW PROCESS in PDF, View as HTML
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