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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 (RAM) Template | FREE Download

The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) shows 'who does what' on a work package or task. It is a popular tool because it shows what is expected of each member of the project team 'at a glance'. Scheduling tools like Microsoft project allow multiple resources to be linked to a task, but there is no easy way to show what each resource is expected to do - RAMs fill the gap. stakeholdermap.com

• See a screenshot of the template
• How to use the template
• Download the Excel Template

How to use the RAM template

• Enter your project details on the first tab
• Open the second tab named RAM
• List your work packages down the left hand side (replacing Workpackage 1, 2, 3.. etc)
• Enter the names of your project team in the columns. Replacing Person (1,2,3..)

Responsible

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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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What is a RACI chart and how to use it (with template)

Product work is complex. While there are frameworks and best practices, due to its nature, you can only apply the same process in some places.

One can take the best practices, analyze your context, and then define a way of working and responsibilities based on your specific situation. It depends on your company, the kind of products you are working on, and the overall philosophy and mindset you are dealing with.

There are no two situations where teams perform product work similarly.

The most overlaps I have come across are between the product manager and the UX role, and research performed by NN Group also holds evidence of this fact.

In this article, we’ll discuss where a responsibility assignment matrix, aka a RACI chart, can be helpful. RACI charts can help you align with your team and stakeholders on roles and responsibilities, while also improving communication and decision-making.

What is a RACI chart?

The RACI chart, or responsibility assignment matrix, is a tool that helps to communicate and clarify the roles and responsibilities of people working together. In product management, it adds support for alignment and communication in the product development process:

Responsible

This team member is the one responsible for performing the task. Each task needs at least one responsible person, but can also have more.

Accountable

This team member is the one who is ultimately accountable for the outcome and success of the task or deliverable. They may either perform the task themselves (in which case they are also responsible), or they may delegate the work to someone else.

You should only have one accountable team member per task.

You can have as many consulted stakeholders as you want. These team members and stakeholders are the ones whose input is required to complete the task. They provide information from their expertise or how the task result may impact their work.

These team members should stay in the loop. If you were to think of the power/interest grid for stakeholder management , you would consider stakeholders with low power and low interest in this category.

Applying the RACI chart to the product development process

You can apply the RACI chart to the different stages of the product development process. We will use the 4D methodology (discover, design, develop, and deliver) to showcase how the responsibilities can be split between product management, ux design, development team, and product marketing.

Depending on your context, you may also include a delivery manager, who will take over some of the responsibilities of the product manager:

Let’s break down the graphic above by defining the 4D methodology.

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The product manager is responsible for researching and understanding the target market’s needs and stakeholders. They are accountable for defining the project’s scope, allocating the right resources, and ensuring the research is done correctly.

The UX designer and development team are consulted for input and feedback on the user experience and technical feasibility.

Product marketing will be informed of the findings.

The UX designer is responsible for the user experience, while the architect/technical lead is responsible for the technical design.

The product manager is accountable for ensuring that the design meets the requirements defined in the discovery stage, that the design is feasible, and that resources are allocated appropriately.

The development team will be consulted for input and feedback on the technical feasibility.

Product marketing is merely informed at this stage as well.

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The development team is responsible for implementing the design and creating the product.

The product manager is accountable for ensuring that the product is developed on time and within budget and for managing any issues that arise during development.

The UX designer should be consulted for input and feedback on the user experience and any issues identified.

Product marketing is informed of the progress and status.

Product marketing is responsible for promoting and launching the product and informs of the product’s readiness for launch.

The product manager is responsible for product delivery to the end user or client. They are accountable for ensuring the product meets the requirements defined in the discovery stage, that the product is ready to be delivered, and that any final issues get solved.

The development team is consulted for input and feedback on the technical feasibility and any issues identified.

UX design is informed about the progress and status.

Generally, the person accountable for a given stage will be responsible for leading it and making the final decisions, while others are consulted and informed as appropriate.

Benefits of using a RACI Chart

A RACI chart is a great tool to help product teams organize and work together. Here are a few benefits:

RACI helps clearly define roles and responsibilities for different tasks and decisions, reducing confusion and ensuring that everyone knows what is expected of them. This applies both within the team and outside of it towards the organization.

Accountability

By clearly defining who is accountable for different tasks and decisions, RACI can help to ensure that everyone takes ownership of their responsibilities and is accountable for their actions.

Additionally, defining clear roles and responsibilities helps avoid double work and waste.

Consistency

RACI can ensure that tasks and decisions are handled consistently across the product management process, which can improve the overall quality and effectiveness of the process.

By clearly defining roles and responsibilities, RACI can help to streamline the product management process and make it more efficient, ultimately saving time and resources.

Improved communication

RACI can ensure that all stakeholders are kept informed about the progress of the product management process and any changes made, which can help improve communication and reduce misunderstandings.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Here are a few pitfalls to look after when considering working with the RACI Chart:

Forgetting about it and not updating it regularly

The RACI Chart is a living document — it evolves with your team or product. It is important to revisit it every time you experience a change. Even if no changes occur, you should review it once a quarter.

You should revisit the RACI chart anytime a change happens:

• A new member is joining the team
• A member is leaving the team
• There’s a new stakeholder for the product
• Change in the way of working
• The product enters a new stage in the life cycle

Not utilizing its potential for transparency

The RACI chart is a handy communication tool. Creating a RACI chart and shoving it into a folder or a drawer will not help you in any way.

Since it is a tool meant to increase alignment and transparency, you should ensure that every involved party is aware of it and has easy access. It is also beneficial when onboarding new team members or stakeholders.

Overlapping roles

When creating or maintaining your RACI chart, pay attention to how the responsibilities are split and that there are no overlapping roles. You should, as a team, clearly define who holds the responsibility and avoid having it split between too many team members, as this may cause unnecessary overhead.

Unbalanced responsibilities

Delivering successful products is a marathon, not a sprint. It is also vital to maintain a sustainable pace within the team, which also applies to the workload.

You should ensure that no team members are overloaded with too many responsible tasks. Discuss within your team and decide on a reasonable workload together, considering all their daily responsibilities. Should certain team members or roles have too many responsibilities, you must consider increasing your team or re-assign responsibilities.

For example, you may have a product manager who needs to keep an eye on the market, drive product-market fit , perform discovery activities, and support sales and marketing while also acting as the product owner for the development team.

This will lead the team to increased frustration in the development team’s lack of availability of the product manager, so it might be a good idea to consider bringing a dedicated product owner on board. This way, they will dedicate their full attention to the team, while the product manager can focus on the more strategic aspects of the product.

RACI template

Lastly, here is a template that you can use to define your product team’s own RACI chart. Make a copy of the Google Sheet, add your tasks, and define your roles and responsibilities.

While the RACI chart is a tool originating from traditional project management practices, it is as valuable for product management. It is lightweight, but holds a lot of relevant information. It also increases transparency around roles and responsibilities and eases the onboarding process of new team members.

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What Is a RACI Chart? How to Use RACI to Assign Project Roles

It’s a fact: Complex projects make it easy for teams to lose track of tasks.

You might have an air-tight project plan and a stellar team to back it up. But if you’re not crystal clear about assignments—or even involvement—on a task level, confusion, crankiness, and even demotivation will creep into your project team.

Lucky for you, avoiding those issues is as simple as creating a RACI chart. 

In this article, we’ll explain what RACI stands for and how it’s used in project management. We’ll also share a few practical examples so you can see how to apply the RACI model to different types of projects.

What is a RACI chart?

Raci definitions explained, benefits of the raci model in project management, how to make a raci chart, raci rules and best practices.

• RACI chart examples

When to use or skip a RACI chart for your project

Common raci pitfalls and how to avoid them.

A RACI chart—also known as a responsibility assignment matrix —is a diagram used in project management to define team roles across 4 categories: Responsible , Accountable , Consulted , and Informed . It helps clarify who does the work, who calls the shots, whose opinion matters, and who needs to stay in the loop for each task, milestone, or decision.

A RACI chart enables you to visualize roles and responsibilities at a more granular level than simple resource assignments. That way team members and stakeholders know what’s expected of them so confusion doesn’t get in the way of project success.

RACI stands for Responsible , Accountable , Consulted , and Informed . Each letter in the acronym represents the level of ownership each person involved in a project will have on an individual deliverable. 

This simple chart gives you an at-a-glance view of RACI meanings and how many people to assign to each role in your RACI matrix .

R = Responsible

This team member does the work to complete the task. Every task needs at least one Responsible party, but it’s okay to assign more.

Examples of people you might assign to the Responsible role:

• Content writer
• Graphic designer
• UI/UX designer
• Software developer
• Business analyst
• QA specialist

A = Accountable

This person delegates work and is the last one to review the task or deliverable before it’s deemed complete. On some tasks, the Responsible party may also serve as the Accountable one. Just be sure you only have one Accountable person assigned to each task or deliverable. (Note: It might not be your project manager!)

Examples of people you might assign to the Accountable role:

• Project manager
• Product manager
• Department head

C = Consulted

Every deliverable is strengthened by review and consultation from more than one team member. Consulted parties are typically the people who provide input based on either how it will impact their future project work or their domain of expertise on the deliverable itself.‍

Examples of people you might assign to the Consulted role:

• Software architect
• Content editor
• Creative director
• Compliance officer
• Security specialist
• Legal counsel

I = Informed

Informed stakeholders simply need to be kept in the loop on project progress, rather than roped into the details of every deliverable.

Examples of people you might assign to the Informed role:

• Executive leadership
• External clients
• Team members assigned to dependent tasks
• Customer support team
• Administrative staff

Responsible vs Accountable meanings in RACI

The same person can be both Responsible and Accountable for a task in RACI—including a project manager. But they’re not one and the same. So what’s the difference?

• Responsible is a task-oriented designation that applies to the person (or people) actually completing the work. A whole team can be responsible for the execution of one task. ‍
• Accountable is an outcome-oriented designation that applies to a single person who reports on the work, whether in status updates or upon delivery. Being Accountable means you must answer for and/or sign off on the deliverable and deal with the consequences if it falls short of goals.

At its core, the RACI model helps you set clear expectations about project roles and responsibilities. That way you don’t have multiple people working on the same task or against one another because tasks weren’t clearly defined on the front end.

A RACI chart also encourages team members to take responsibility for their work—or defer to someone else when needed. Essentially, you’ll remove personal judgment and politics from your process and focus on your team’s ability to act responsibly within a framework you’ve created. Sounds pretty sweet, huh?

Building a RACI chart for your project is a relatively simple task. The hardest part is thinking through all the people involved in your project and what role makes the most sense for individuals at each stage of work.

You’ll want to map out a RACI chart for your project during the planning stage. This ensures responsibilities are clearly defined before work begins and gives you time to adjust to avoid any gaps or overlaps in assignments.

Here are the basic steps for making a RACI chart:

• List key project phases, tasks, and/or milestones in a column down the left side of your chart. You can get as detailed as you want, depending on the complexity of your project (and attention-span of your project team and stakeholders). 
• Enter the people involved in your project across the top row of your chart. Each individual should serve as the header of a single column. You can use names or job roles—whatever makes sense for your team and project.
• Go line by line down the chart, and assign each person across the row an R, A, C, or I to indicate the role they’ll play on that particular task.

Once your RACI chart is good to go, you can create a communication plan that aligns with the roles you’ve outlined for project teams and stakeholders.

Want to save time? Download our free RACI Excel template , or see how TeamGantt's built-in RACI feature works.

Using a RACI chart is a whole lot easier when you follow a few simple rules. Once your RACI chart is complete, review it to be sure it meets these criteria:

• Every task has at least one Responsible person.
• There’s one (and only one!) Accountable party assigned to each task to allow for clear decision-making.
• No team members are overloaded with too many Responsible tasks. You can use TeamGantt’s Workloads report to check availability across all your active projects.
• Every team member has a role on each task. (It’s not uncommon for some folks to be Informed on most tasks.)

These best practices can help you get the most out of RACI:

• Focus on project tasks, milestones, and decisions in the RACI chart. Avoid generic or administrative to-dos like team meetings or status reports .
• Align the tasks in your RACI chart with your project plan so there’s no confusion about details and due dates. (TeamGantt does this work for you by tying your RACI chart directly to your plan!)
• Keep RACI definitions close by because they can be tough to remember sometimes! ‍
• Assign the Responsible team members to tasks in TeamGantt .

RACI chart examples: Practical application in the real world

Let’s take a closer look at how you might put the RACI model to work on real-life projects. 

Producing a marketing handout

We’ll start with a simple example. Imagine you’re creating a RACI chart for a handout your marketing manager will distribute at an industry conference. 

Basic tasks for this project might include:

• Write project brief
• Create content
• Design handout
• Review first draft
• Update handout
• Approve final
• Send to printer

In this project example, we’ve assigned RACI roles to 7 key team members:

• Marketing manager
• Editorial director

Let’s zoom in on the RACI roles we mapped out for the Create content task example so you understand the why behind these assignments. 

• Responsible : The content writer is listed as Responsible for this task, so that’s who will actively work on content creation.
• Accountable : The editorial director is listed as Accountable for this task because that’s who is ultimately on the line for content quality and accuracy. Once the content is written, she’s the one who will review it to ensure it meets their company’s editorial standards.
• Consulted : The marketing manager is listed as Consulted . Since the marketing manager is the subject matter expert for the presentation, the writer can go to them for input or help filling in content gaps along the way.
• Informed : Several people have been assigned to the Informed role, though for different reasons. Since the Design handout task depends on this one, we want to make sure the writer keeps the creative director and designer informed on the status of content creation. The project manager and CMO are listed as Informed simply because they want to be kept in the loop about how work is progressing.

Developing a new software product

Now let’s look at a more complex project example. 

Developers who use an Agile workflow to tackle the job likely know what they need to do because there’s a constant stream of communication. But cross-functional departments and senior leaders might need more clarity. 

Here’s how you might map RACI roles to major tasks in a software development project , broken down by key tasks and RACI roles. (For the Informed assignments, we only listed people who need detailed progress updates to keep our example easier to read.)

Market Research

• Responsible : Business Analyst, Marketing Manager
• Accountable : Product Manager
• Consulted : Sales Representative, Customer Support
• Informed : Project Manager, Software Developers

Requirement Gathering

• Responsible : Business analyst
• Accountable : Product manager
• Consulted : UI/UX Designer, Software Architect
• Informed : Project manager, QA analysts

Design and Prototyping

• Responsible : UI/UX Designer
• Consulted : Business analyst, software developers
• Informed : Marketing manager, QA analysts

Software Development

• Responsible : Software Developers/Engineers
• Accountable : Software Architect
• Consulted : Product Manager, QA Analysts
• Informed : Project Manager, Technical Writer
• Responsible : QA Analysts/Engineers
• Accountable : Project manager
• Consulted : Software Developers, DevOps Engineer
• Informed : Product Manager, Technical Writer
• Responsible : DevOps Engineer
• Accountable : Project Manager
• Consulted : Software Developers, QA Analysts
• Informed : Product Manager, Customer Support

Maintenance

• Responsible : DevOps Engineer, Software Developers
• Consulted : QA Analysts, Technical Writer
• Responsible : DevOps Engineer, QA Analysts
• Consulted : Software Developers, Technical Writer

Marketing and Sales

• Responsible : Marketing Manager, Sales Representative
• Accountable : Marketing Manager
• Consulted : Product Manager, Customer Support

User Training

• Responsible : Customer Support Specialist
• Consulted : Technical Writer, UI/UX Designer
• Informed : All project team members

A RACI chart serves just about every project well. But it’s especially helpful when tasks require multiple resources, run concurrently, or depend on other tasks.

Here are a few scenarios when the RACI model is useful:

• The decision-making or approval process could hold up the project.
• There’s conflict about task ownership or decision-making.
• The project workload feels like it’s not distributed evenly.
• You experience turnover on a team and need to onboard someone quickly to a new role.

Of course, not all teams and projects are created equally. You might work with a team who just happens to communicate really well and stays on top of their own work. (Lucky you!) Or maybe your project is small enough that it would be silly to take the time to go through this exercise. 

In cases like these, don’t worry about taking the extra step of creating a RACI chart. Just be sure you have a clear plan in place to guide your team and project.

Further reading : How to Create a Realistic Project Plan: Templates & Examples

Now let’s walk through a few common mistakes that could hinder your RACI chart’s effectiveness.

Failing to get buy-in from your team and stakeholders

Creating a RACI chart in a vacuum is never a good idea. In a best-case scenario, you’d sit down with your team and stakeholders to walk through the role assignments on each task. But let’s be real: That’s not always possible.

Just be sure everyone represented has acknowledged and agreed to the roles and responsibilities you’ve laid out. More importantly, you want to check that your chart eliminates any further project confusion.

Setting it and forgetting it

It’s easy to build a RACI chart at the start of a project, then let it collect dust once the real work begins. But remember: This chart will defend you against mishaps that arise when you have too many cooks in the kitchen or a team member who thinks someone else is handling the work.

That’s why it’s important to keep these roles top of mind throughout a project’s life cycle. You can do this by reviewing RACI assignments for upcoming tasks in weekly status update meetings and making sure everyone involved in a project has easy access to the RACI chart. 

In TeamGantt, you can assign RACI roles directly in your project plan so they’re clearly visible as team members work their way to the finish line.

Overcomplicating stakeholder communication

If you have a lot of Consulted and Informed roles on your chart, make sure you have an easy and lightweight way to keep them informed. It could be as simple as making sure department heads and senior leaders have access to your project plan so they can follow progress along the way. 

Managing a project with external clients or stakeholders? Sharing a view-only link to your project in TeamGantt is a great option for looping in folks outside your organization.

Further reading: A Project Manager’s Guide to Effective Stakeholder Management

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.

Try TeamGantt’s Pro Manager plan free for 30 days!

Try TeamGantt for free today!

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• Project management |

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.

Related resources

Everything you need to know about waterfall project management

Smooth product launches are simpler than you think

What is stakeholder analysis and why is it important?

Understanding dependencies in project management

Business growth

Business tips

RACI model: A map for team structure (with template)

A few weeks back, in a burst of misguided optimism, I found myself in an escape room with eight of my most brilliant friends. I was confident we'd bust out in record time, but we quickly realized our error: too many cooks, not enough coordination.

We really could have used RACI. The RACI model—which stands for responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed—would have gotten us the Instagram-worthy escape time we'd hoped for. This project management model ensures that there are clear roles, no conflicting ideas, and a clear communication process. Here, I'll unpack the RACI model and how it can streamline potentially chaotic projects—and perhaps save you from your own escape room disaster.

Table of contents:

Why you need a RACI matrix

When should you use a raci matrix, what should a raci matrix include, how to create a raci matrix, example raci chart and template, raci matrix alternatives, what is the raci model.

The RACI model, sometimes called a responsibility assignment matrix (RAM), is a project management tool for assigning roles and responsibilities to the various stakeholders of a project. Think of it as a roadmap for who's doing what. It's the secret ingredient to making sure your projects don't implode in a fiery mess of miscommunication, redundant work, and misalignment.

RACI is an acronym that stands for responsible , accountable , consulted , and informed . Let's break each of those down.

Responsible: This is the person who's actually doing the thing. Think creatives, developers, analysts, and other worker bees. If we're talking about making a sandwich, this is the person slapping the mayo on the bread.

Accountable: Typically in a leadership position, this is the person who's got the final say. If that sandwich ends up being terrible, this is who you send it back to.

Consulted: These are the folks you chat with before making decisions. Like, "Hey, do you think we should add pickles to this?" They give input, but they're not in the kitchen with you. In the work world, we're talking about people like subject-matter experts, legal teams, and quality assurance teams.

Informed: These people are just here for the updates. "Just so you know, we're going with pickles." Informed parties can include external stakeholders, end users, senior management, or anyone else who needs to know what's happening but isn't directly involved in the action.

Importantly, RACI isn't just for the overarching project—it's applied to each individual task within that project. You'll document your RACI roles in a RACI chart to be sure everything's clear and transparent—more on that below.

There's nothing worse than finding multiple people doing the same thing while working on a project, or neglecting an important task because everyone thinks it's not their job.

RACI is a management tool that helps distribute tasks and assign responsibilities in a clear and transparent way. It helps people know where to go for information or approval, prevents people from passing the buck, and makes sure everyone is clear on their primary responsibilities. 

Key RACI benefits include:

Clearly defines responsibilities and expectations: No more "Well, finance said it was ready to ship..." moments. Everyone knows their role, and there's no stepping on toes.

Reduces workflow confusion: It's like having a map in a maze. You know exactly where to go and what to do without running into dead ends or, worse, minotaurs.

Enhances understanding and clarity: Because there's always someone accountable, decisions are decisive, and responsibilities are unmistakably defined. It's like translating everyone's thoughts into a universal language where "I thought you meant..." becomes a phrase of the past. 

Flexible approach: RACI works for almost any project type. Whether setting up a new server or orchestrating a multi-channel marketing campaign, the RACI model can be tailored to fit your needs.

You might ask yourself, "Self, how do I know when a RACI matrix is needed?" Let's sort that out.

Examples of projects where you should use RACI:

New product launch: Launching a new product isn't just about who's doing what. It's about understanding the decision-making hierarchy. Who gives the final nod for the marketing strategy? Who should be consulted about production timelines? With RACI, you're not just assigning tasks; you're clarifying the chain of command and consultation, ensuring a smoother launch process.

Office relocation: Ever tried moving your entire workspace without losing your favorite mug? Or your sanity? Who has the authority to choose the new location? If there's an issue with the new space, who's the point of contact? And before finalizing the seating arrangement, who should be consulted? RACI delegates tasks and defines the decision-making flow, ensuring a seamless transition.

Software implementation: Implementing new software isn't just about installation. Who approves the software choice? Who should you consult when deciding on configurations? And if things go sideways, who's the brave soul accountable for handling the fallout? RACI provides a clear roadmap of responsibility and consultation, ensuring the software rollout is successful.

Event planning: Organizing a corporate event or conference involves many moving parts. Who has the final say on the venue? Who gives approval when you need to know if karaoke is a yea or nay? And who should be consulted when deciding between a taco bar or sushi rolls? RACI helps you streamline the communication and decision-making processes.

Examples of projects where you shouldn't use RACI:

Simple tasks: If the task is straightforward, like "get more coffee filters for the break room," you probably don't need a matrix.

Short-term projects: If you're whipping up something quickly with a small team, the time spent creating a RACI might outweigh its benefits.

Well-established processes: For routine tasks that the team has been performing for years, introducing a RACI matrix is probably overkill.

A RACI chart has a specific structure. It's not just about listing out people's roles—to be effective, it needs a few other components.

Key components of a RACI matrix include:

Tasks: These are the specific activities or steps that need to be accomplished throughout the project. They form the backbone of the matrix, clarifying what needs to be done. Think of them as the items on your to-do list.

Roles: This refers to the individuals or teams involved in the project. From team members to stakeholders, this is everyone who's got some skin in the game.

Responsibilities: This is the nitty-gritty of who does what. It's where you hand out the jobs. Like, "Hey, you! You're on lead gen duty."

Accountabilities: This is the "buck stops here" role. It's about ownership, pinpointing who is ultimately answerable for the completion and quality of each task.

Now that you know what RACI is, it's time to unpack the step-by-step process of crafting your own RACI matrix.

Map out the project landscape: Begin by pinpointing the scope of your project. What are the specific tasks that need to be accomplished? The level of detail is up to you. Put the tasks on the vertical left side of your chart. It's like making a grocery list, but with the added bonus of not having to decide if you really need that third pint of ice cream.

Identify key players: The lucky souls involved in this project are your stakeholders. They get prime real estate across the top of your chart.

Assignments: For each task, you'll want to determine who's responsible (the doer), who's accountable (the decision-maker), who needs to be consulted (the advisors), and who should be informed (the folks kept in the loop).

Share and review: Once your initial RACI matrix is set up, gather the crew for a review session. This collaborative approach ensures everyone agrees on their roles and responsibilities. It's an opportunity to clarify any ambiguities and hash out any disagreements so everyone's on the same page .

Stay adaptable and engaged: Projects evolve, and so should your RACI matrix. As you progress, changes or shifts might need to be addressed. Regularly revisit your RACI chart, tweak as needed, and keep communication lines open, making sure it remains a relevant and valuable tool.

And here are some golden rules for using the RACI model:

Every task should have at least one Responsible party . Someone's gotta roll up their sleeves and do it. Otherwise, it's just a free-for-all of "not my job" shrugs.

There is always one and only one Accountable for each task . Adding another is like having two quarterbacks in a football game. Unless you're the 2008 Miami Dolphins, it just doesn't work.

Only the Responsible and Accountable roles are mandatory for each task. This ensures that for every activity, there's someone doing the work and someone ensuring it's done right. Everyone else is just there for support.

Keep it simple. If your grandma can't figure out your RACI chart, you're doing it wrong. Make it clear and understandable.

And there you have it. With these ingredients and rules in hand, you're well on your way to creating a RACI chart that'll make your project run smoother than freshly churned butter.

A RACI matrix is where you can see who's doing what at a glance.

Project tasks are in the left column

Project roles are in the top row

Each task gets a letter: R, A, C, or I

Letters are applied at the intersections of rows and columns to signal which role is performing each task

Next time you're drowning in a sea of "Who's on first?" whip out this RACI template to chart your way to clarity.  But remember: the magic isn't in the template, but in the thoughtful application of the RACI model.

The RACI matrix is a staple in project management, but like with any tool, sometimes you need a different wrench for a different bolt. If RACI doesn't work for you, here are some alternatives.

RAS (Responsible, Approve, Support): This simplified version of RACI might be a good fit if your team doesn't need the "Consulted" and "Informed" distinctions. RAS is perfect for those "let's not make this harder than it needs to be" projects.

RAPID (Recommend, Agree, Perform, Input, Decide): This one's ideal for decision-making processes. If your project involves a lot of decisions that need input from various stakeholders, RAPID can help streamline who does what.

CARS (Consulted, Approve, Responsible, Support): This is another RACI variation emphasizing supportive functions and approval authority. CARS is for you if your project is about getting those green lights (car joke).

RASCI (Responsible, Approve, Support, Consulted, Informed): RACI's overachieving cousin, RASCI includes the "Support" role, which can be crucial for projects where certain team members provide resources or support without being directly involved.

DACI (Driver, Approver, Contributor, Informed): This model is handy for projects with a clear "driver," or leader. It emphasizes the leadership role while still keeping everyone else in the loop. Use DACI when someone's clearly wearing the captain's hat, but you still need a crew. 

CLAM (Collaborate, Lead, Agree, Monitor): CLAM might be the way to go if your project is highly collaborative. If it feels like a group project in school, where everyone needs to pitch in, give CLAM a shot.

Choosing the right model depends on your project's specific needs and your team's dynamics. While RACI is a fantastic starting point, don't be afraid to explore these alternatives to find the perfect fit for your next endeavor. And if all else fails, just make up your own acronym. Who's stopping you?

Unlock the power of RACI

I can't help but think back to my escape room fiasco. If only we'd designated someone responsible for deciphering the codes, and another accountable for keeping us on track. A couple could've been consulted for their puzzle-solving prowess, and the rest, well, they could've been informed—preferably from a distance. 

Related reading:

Kanban vs. Scrum Agile methodology: Which is better?

The best project management software

4 ways project management automation makes your job easier

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Based in New England, Allisa is a content marketer and small business owner who hopes to make the internet a more interesting place than she found it. When she’s not working, you can find her lying very still not doing anything.

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Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)

Responsibility Assignment Matrix: this article explains the Responsibility Assignment Matrix in a practical way. After reading you will understand the basics of this powerful project management tool used by management professionals. This article also contains a downloadable and editable Responsibility Assignment Matrix template and a free in-depth explanation video.

What is the Responsibility Assignment Matrix or RAM?

Project managers like using a RAM to identify the role of the various members of a project team. This matrix is a structural chart in which is visually made clear (on paper or through project management software) what should be done by whom in cross functional or departmental projects.

In the matrix it is clear what the project tasks, roles and responsibilities are of each of the project team members. It is also referred to as the RACI matrix , VERI matrix or Linear Responsibility Chart (LCR).

It’s often used as an integral part of the Work Breakdown Structure .

RAM video (1-Minute Skill Booster)

Our 1-Minute Skill Booster below will help you get a quick overview on the RAM and at the end of this article you will find an in-depth video on this project management tool.

Responsibility Assignment Matrix example

Despite the simple nature of all information in the matrix memory, it can be very time-consuming to assign each member of the project team with the right tasks and responsibilities.

In addition the appropriate roles must be defined in advance before they are included in the RAM.

Figure 1 – The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) / RACI Matrix

To do this well and accurately, the matrix can be completed using the following steps:

• Step 1: Identify all the participants and (facilities) supporters of the project.
• Step 2: Identify all the deliverables for the project.
• Step 3: Discuss with all team members how they can support each other to achieve the best performance. It is important to define each participant’s responsibilities so that there will be no misunderstandings on who is responsible for completing the tasks at hand.
• Step 4: The initial draft of the RAM is created, with the activities in the left-hand column and the team members in the project in the first right-hand column. Enter the roles that each person will have in the cells that have been formed. An example of this can be seen in the form of a RACI chart (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed) above. Note that only one person can be accountable for each task.
• Step 5: Have the participants in the project approve the RAM (in writing). Again to prevent misunderstandings.
• Step 6: Any remarks on changes in the RAM can be filed by the participants in writing. Finally, the responsibility assignment matrix will be reviewed and after approval has been obtained, the project can start.
• Step 7: Interim assessment is important. When it appears that it is better to adjust the RAM, you will have to go back to step 3 and the adjustments must be discussed with all team members.

Responsibility Assignment Matrix and complex projects

The RAM is also suitable for complex projects. When activities are overlooked and the matrix contains incomplete and/or inaccurate information, this will lead to duplicated efforts.

It is therefore advisable to ensure that all information is included in the matrix and that all information is and remains accurate.

The following suggestions contribute to a larger chance of success of a matrix in a complex project:

1. Hierarchy of charts

Divide the RAM into separate graphs so that a distinction can be made according to priorities .

The RAM with the highest levels identifies the high-priority activities within the project.

From this point RAM-graphs can be developed that have been derived from this higher level.

2. Involvement

By involving all the members of the project team in the development of the RAM, they will know exactly what is expected of them and they will participate and be (more) committed to using their own specializations.

3. Written representation

By putting the RAM in writing, any mistakes or problems can be identified.

Moreover, the participants in the project will have a better understanding of what their joint participation in the project is.

Role identification

In a RAM the role of the individual and the role of the group are not separated. The role describes the participation with accompanying tasks of the individual in the project.

Such a role can be performed by several people in a group.

Vice versa, one person may have several roles in the project. This is why several employees can have the role of project manager and one individual may have the role of manager and task performer.

Responsibility Assignment Matrix template

Start visualizing what the tasks and responsibilities are of each team member with this ready to use RAM template.

Download the Responsibility Assignment Matrix template

Responsibility assignment matrix (ram) video (in depth-explainer).

Watch the in-depth video below for a recap of what you’ve just read, so you will remember it more easily!

It’s Your Turn

What do you think? Is the Responsibility Assignment Matrix in today’s modern project- and stakeholder management? Do you recognize the practical explanation or do you have more additions? What are your success factors for good stakeholder management during a project?

Share your experience and knowledge in the comments box below.

More information

• Project Management Institute (2010). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge ( PMBOK Guide) . PMI Standards Committee.
• Baker, D. (2009). Multi-Company Project Management: Maximizing Business Results Through Strategic Collaboration . J Ross.
• Cleland, D. and Ireland, L. (2006). Project management: strategic design and implementation . McGraw-Hill .

How to cite this article: Mulder, P. (2012). Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) . Retrieved [insert date] from Toolshero: https://www.toolshero.com/project-management/responsibility-assignment-matrix/

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Patty Mulder

Patty Mulder is an Dutch expert on Management Skills, Personal Effectiveness and Business Communication. She is also a Content writer, Business Coach and Company Trainer and lives in the Netherlands (Europe). Note: all her articles are written in Dutch and we translated her articles to English!

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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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9 raci chart examples for project management.

September 7, 2023

Not having project roles and responsibilities set in place leads to a myriad of project management-related issues—schedule delays, scaling costs, and lower performance, just to name a few. 

That’s when the RACI matrix, also known as the RACI diagram or responsibility assignment matrix, comes into the picture. 🖼️

The RACI model helps with mapping all of the stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities, bringing structure and clarity, and engaging everyone from the team in the successful project delivery so that miscalculations are out of the question. 

Here’s why many people from the corporate world across various industries, from healthcare to construction, swear by RACI charts . 🙏

What is a RACI Matrix Chart?

Advantages of the raci chart model, when to use the raci chart model, how to create a raci chart model, clickup examples, miro examples.

• Coda Examples

Who Benefits From Using a RACI Chart?

Raci is the way to go.

RACI matrix is a simple approach to defining project roles and responsibilities that help produce desired outcomes.

This term is an acronym that stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. RACI essentially describes the different roles assigned to team members involved in the project and details who does what.

Responsible : As you can already suggest, this person is responsible for taking action and ensuring that tasks on the project are being worked on.

Typically, this is a team member or a project manager that reports to an A. You can have more Rs in a RACI, and some of them can also be involved in the decision-making process .

However, it is highly advisable not to blow things up out of proportion and over-assign the number of Responsibles in your responsibility assignment matrix. 

Accountable : That’s someone who ensures all the responsibilities are assigned properly, approves or rejects work or decisions (basically, this person is a decision maker), and ensures that everything is successfully and timely delivered. According to the RACI matrix, there should be only one A.  

Consulted : This is the person the team consults about various topics and actions, an expert. This person, or multiple persons, provides feedback and evaluates so tasks can be performed.

Informed : Someone who should be updated on progress once everything is done and dusted but isn’t directly involved in the process. This person doesn’t contribute to making decisions or delivering tasks nor is consulted on any matter.

We know project management teams love abbreviations : PMP, KPI, SOW, and SME. The list goes on and on, but the RACI matrix chart makes it a breeze to scheme out key decisions, tasks, milestones , and roles.

When it comes to large project management teams, where team members are distributed across multiple departments and reliant on other teams, it is kind of natural to suffer from role confusion.  

In a situation like this, it’s up to a project manager or the leading project team to step up and make sure that every member of every team is well aware of what’s expected from them. Things can get even more challenging if the work is remotely managed and done. However, that’s when the RACI matrix comes to the rescue! 🚀

The RACI chart model provides a myriad of benefits in this regard :

• It eliminates role confusion and confusion about who makes decisions (it could be that the Accountable or Responsible party is the decision-maker, so it should be made clear from the beginning)
• It encourages teamwork and communication between everyone involved in the project, which leads to setting expectations straight
• It prevents over and under-allocation of resources of a team member and ensures a smooth reallocation of resources when needed
• It can guarantee that even in case of resource reallocation, no task is overlooked
• By using it, you’ll streamline communications, eliminate conflict resolution, instill trust and ensure a high level of engagement
• Ultimately, it improves project efficiency and saves time  

It’s worth mentioning that the RACI chart can ensure that every relationship is managed appropriately, whether it be with customers, sponsors, VIP clients, internal users, suppliers, investors, executives, analysts, or government regulators. 

That’s why this model ticks all of the boxes for both B2B and B2C businesses. ✅

RACI matrix can be used for all-things-project-management, from clarifying team member roles and tasks to eliminating any sort of confusion and stalled processes. 

The great thing is that it is unbelievably flexible, and you can use it no matter which industry you are in. 🤩 

Here are some of the examples of when the RACI chart model can be helpful :

• Role confusion typically gets in the way of progress and bogs down the approval process or when decisions are made seemingly arbitrarily, again, because of the lack of transparency around the roles
• When authority, responsibilities, roles, and tasks are not clearly defined
• When there is no clarity on who should be performing tasks, which either results in multiple people working on the same task or none of them working on the project tasks they should be working on

As an example, any project manager or product owner is somehow (wrongfully) seen as responsible for every little detail and the success of a project team in general. 

The RACI chart takes the burden of these roles. It allows developers and designers to be responsible for their scope of work . 

However, note that RACI is not the one-size-fits-all solution. 

It works wonders with larger, complex projects that involve multiple stakeholders. On the other hand, it simply doesn’t cut the mustard for smaller project management teams and fast-moving projects since it can only slow down the decision-making process and the project as a whole. 

Before you actually start creating a RACI chart, take these factors into account :

• Ideally, one person should have only one type of responsibility
• The Accountable person should have the authority and be able to provide guidance and help with completing tasks
• Assign a single Accountable party per deliverable
• Every task should be associated with Responsible and Accountable roles while it is not mandatory to ask for outside input if the task is not overly complex
• Stakeholders should be informed even about minor changes and updates on the project 

Now, here’s how to create a RACI chart:

1. define deliverables.

Define and list the main project tasks that need to be completed and list them all on the left side of the RACI chart, one under another. 

Do not include all of the project deliverables in the chart, or else you’ll go too granular and make it too complex to use and understand.

2. Identify project roles

Identify members of the project team and their roles (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed ) and add them to the top of the chart, one next to another. 

For instance, you can go for something like this: project executive, project manager, business analyst, technical architect , and application developer. 

Alternatively, you can specify roles by name. This is particularly useful since it clarifies who does what and if multiple stakeholders are assigned similar roles.

3. Connect the dots

Now is the time to connect tasks and roles. ♻️

Assigning Responsible and Accountable per task is a must, while you should also think carefully about who needs to be Consulted and who is Informed about the deliverables.  

4. Resolve any conflicts if they occur

Ideally, one team member should be assigned to only a few responsibilities (two to three maxi).

If there are many empty cells, try reallocating resources (change Responsible to Consulted). 

Also, if there are too many Accountable roles, this could slow down the decision-making process, so aim to have just one Accountable person per task. 

Too many Cs can also cause delays for project managers since some under the consultant role can often be switched to Informed. Having no C and I roles usually points to a lack of communication within the team.

RACI Matrix Examples and Use Cases

For our first batch examples, we’ll be using our beloved tool, ClickUp . You can customize every part of the platform, making it easier than ever to create your ideal RACI matrix. When you need inspiration or guidance, take advantage of the ready-to-use and editable RACI Planning Template in ClickUp to help get you started.

Let’s see how much flexibility we can have when creating RACI charts in ClickUp.

Simple RACI Chart in Doc View

Here’s a perfect example of what we’ve explained above. ClickUp’s Doc view can be used for making a RACI chart without overcomplicating things. 

Stakeholders to the left, roles to the top and right. Jack, Sabrina, and Selena are Responsible for program management , Caroll is Accountable, Samatha is Consulted, and Ahmed is Informed. 

It’s a great thing that there’s only one responsible person who holds the role of Accountable when it comes to program management. That’s the thing with campaign marketing , design, product marketing , data analysis, brand marketing, and customer success, too! 

It’s also easy to spot that no resources are over-allocated. Jack is the Responsible person for program management, brand marketing, and customer success while he is Accountable for campaign marketing, Informed for product marketing , and Consulted for Data Analysis. 

Color-Coded RACI Matrix in List View

ClickUp’s List view lets us go more into detail with the RACI chart. It also allows you to bring a pop of color to the whole concept to make sometimes dull project management more refreshing. 🌈

You can actually choose between various role colors. We used blue for Responsible, green for Accountable, and so on. It’s totally up to you to customize the table and roles to your liking. 

Here, we also have slightly different positioning of roles and tasks. Project tasks are listed on the left, one under another, while names and responsibilities are located on the top and to the right (if you prefer this kind of visualization, that’s totally cool). 

You can also see priority flags that can give everyone direction and point out tasks that need to be taken care of ASAP and the ones that can wait a little bit. 🚩

RACI Model in Table View

The Table view allows getting more nitty-gritty with your RACI chart. Aside from seeing roles, tasks, and priorities, you can also track the status of each task from the chart. Statuses are fully customizable; this is just an example of how you can name and color each. 

RACI Chart Example Grouped by Status

Within the Table view, ClickUp also lets you filter and group tasks by name, role, status, priority, etc. This allows you to get more into the nitty-gritty details of your RACI chart and see which tasks are in progress, which ones are yet to be worked on, and which ones are completed. 

Finally, as already known, ClickUp views , and the Whiteboard is among our favorites! 😍

RACI Roles in Whiteboard View

The ClickUp Whiteboard makes it easy to visualize tasks, roles, and roles separately, all with a touch of color. It ensures that everyone works as a team. This leaves practically no room for conflicts or low morale. 

Next up is the infamous mind mapping tool, Miro . Let’s see what kind of RACI magic we can come up with.

RACI Stakeholder Map

Miro is another excellent tool you can use for assigning roles, responsibilities, and tasks. In this particular example, Miro shows you can easily create a RACI stakeholders matrix for service design teams. 

Can you tell that there’s something different here? 🤔 

Exactly! Instead of sticking with the regular RACI chart, Miro decided to take a new approach and have everything from roles and responsibilities to tasks neatly organized using the Map view. 🗺️

You can see the stakeholders and tasks on the left, their roles (decision maker, heavy influencers, manage closely) visualized below, and all of them together within a circular-shaped map. 

You can see that roles are layered in circles, going from the ones with, let’s say, less responsibility (e.g., Informed) to Responsible.

I don’t know about you, but we love digital sticky notes! The names of everyone on the team are written on these sticky notes, while their roles are indicated by using emojis. 

Bonus: Stakeholder Mapping Templates

RACI Marketing Team Model

This RACI chart is specifically built for the needs of marketing teams. Project management, campaign, product, and brand marketing, as well as customer success, a.k.a deliverables, are positioned on the left.  

Responsibilities and roles are clearly defined per task, while team members are grouped and arranged accordingly, so everyone knows what they are doing, and what everyone else is doing.  

There’s a single Accountable person for each task, while the number of Responsible persons is relatively balanced. 

Coda Example s

Last but not least in the tools lineup, we have the new kid in the project management block, Coda . Let’s see how it stacks up against our previous RACI templates. 

Bonus: Perceptual map templates !

RACI Matrix Example by Task Breakdown 

Coda gives a practical example of what it looks like to create and use a RACI chart, even if you are not necessarily working on an overly complex project.  

All of the tasks are clearly defined, as well as all of the roles (CEO, CTO, VP of product, product manager, UI designer, content writer, and financial analyst) and responsibilities that are displayed in vivid colors. This allows for better visibility and differentiation, and we can also integrate it with third-party software to schedule consultancies or even track the progress of each project.  

RACI Chart Example by Task Status

Coda also lets you track the status of each task (not started, in progress, done) on the RACI chart, color-code each status, and add notes to clarify who is working on which task and how many resources are available.

Instead of starting from scratch, you can choose among several other absolutely rocking RACI chart templates that will save you valuable time and set your team up to speed from the very first second! 

Bonus: Matrix Templates & Matrix Organizational Structure Examples

Project Managers: A RACI chart is a useful tool for project managers who need to track the various tasks and roles associated with a project. By tracking these roles, it helps to ensure that everyone involved in the project is held accountable for their individual tasks.

• Project Management RACI Chart
• Project Deliverables RACI Chart
• Construction Project RACI Chart
• Agile Projects RACI Chart

Business Leaders: A RACI chart is also useful for business leaders who need to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each team member. This chart can also be used to identify gaps in roles and responsibilities and help develop an effective plan for allocating resources accordingly.

• Executives RACI Chart
• Change Management RACI Chart
• Stakeholders RACI Chart

RACI is not a project plan but rather a document used for defining roles and responsibilities—it provides more than a clear outline, so your job is to ensure that work and responsibilities are fairly allocated. It also describes the project tasks that need to be completed in advance to eliminate confusion and bottlenecks.

Now that you know more about the RACI Matrix, it’s your turn to try it for yourself! Load one of the templates like the ClickUp RACI template , for example, customize it to your liking, and start delegate tasks and responsibilities more effectively.

Good luck! 😊

Guest writer :

Alladdine Djaidani is a digital marketer and the founder of HustlerEthos.com .

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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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The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)

Knowing where the buck ultimately stops.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

It takes a lot of effort to keep a large project running smoothly. With a large number of variables, people, and deliverables, it’s hard to keep on top of everything that’s happening. Consider the following scenario:

Hal (the distressed project manager): "What do you mean, we don’t have the test results yet?! What has Katy been doing? Get Katy!"

Katy: "No, Hal, I wasn’t responsible for getting that done. Joan has more expertise in that area, remember? I’ll ask Joan what happened."

Joan: "Gee, Katy, I know I have more experience with these reports, but I was waiting for you to contact me so we could review them together."

Do you recognize anyone you know? This type of situation is repeated daily in organizations across the globe. And most of the time, there’s no incompetence or bad intentions involved. More often, problems like this are the result of inadequate planning and poor communication.

Successful projects have a clear breakdown of who is ultimately responsible for each aspect of the project. Without clear, written, and agreed-upon accountability, it’s far too easy to for communication to fail and for responsibilities to be muddled.

So how do you avoid this?

Developing a Responsibility Assignment Matrix

One tool that project managers use to keep these assignments clear is the Responsibility Assignment Matrix (also called the RAM, or the Responsibility Matrix). This matches deliverables with the people who are responsible for them. For every piece of the project, the matrix shows who needs to contribute what for the project to be completed.

For example, let’s say that you’re upgrading your customer service delivery system, and you need to train your staff to use new procedures and tools.

Step One: Define Your Deliverables

Using a Work Breakdown Structure , you define three key deliverables for this training project, with a few subcategories for each:

• Survey current practice.
• Define new practice.
• Locate resources.
• Prepare training schedule.
• Manage training.
• Re-survey practices after implementation.
• Analyze results.

A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a project planning tool used to break a project down into smaller, more manageable pieces of work (deliverables). It's not a list of every task: rather, it's a "tree" structure showing the meaningful groups of activities that make up the main segments of the project.

Step Two: Identify the People Involved

Map out who is on your project team. By creating a chart of individuals who are available, you can then delegate work assignments based on expertise, and you can recruit talent that you’re missing. This step is often called an “Organization Breakdown Structure” because it creates an organizational chart for your team.

Step Three: Create Your Responsibility Matrix

Draw a matrix. The deliverables are the column headings, and the people are the row titles.

With your team, determine accountabilities as well as other levels of involvement for each item in your Work Breakdown Structure.

A useful framework to determine role assignments is RACI . This defines four levels of involvement:

R = Responsible (People who do the work). A = Accountable (People who make sure the work gets done). C = Consulted (People who provide input before and during the work). I = Informed (People who are kept informed of progress).

Project Management Institute, "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)" – Fifth Edition, (2013). Copyright and all rights reserved. Material from this publication has been reproduced with the permission of PMI.

Other levels of involvement may include “assist”, “coordinate”, “sign off”, and “review”. You can decide how to assign responsibility for your project and your team. But you must be sure that ultimate accountability and responsibility for performing the work are agreed upon and communicated.

Step Four: Communicate

When your Responsibility Assignment Matrix is complete, communicate it to all stakeholders. It’s a good idea to post it in an area where people will see it. Used effectively, the RAM helps people understand what they should be doing at all stages of the project.

Project teams can easily lose focus on what needs to be done and who needs to do it. People may assume that somebody else is doing something – and before long, key pieces of work fall behind schedule.

To avoid this common problem, consider developing a Responsibility Assignment Matrix for your team. This matrix clearly identifies which role each team member has agreed to take on for each of the project’s main deliverables.

With these assignments, you can eliminate miscommunication about who’s doing what – and you can help to ensure that your project is successful.

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Free RACI Templates for Microsoft Excel

By Kate Eby | June 7, 2022

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We’ve compiled the most useful Microsoft Excel RACI templates for project managers, Scrum masters, project sponsors, team members, and other stakeholders. 

On this page, you’ll find six essential RACI templates, including a simple RACI matrix template , a RACI model template , a RACI chart template , a RACI for change management template , a RACI roles and responsibilities template , and an ITIL RACI template with a Gantt chart .

Simple RACI Matrix Template

Download Simple RACI Matrix Template — Microsoft Excel  

This simple RACI matrix template allows project management, project sponsors, team members, and other project stakeholders to track project roles and responsibilities easily. Enter your project title, project phases, and tasks for each phase, and then assign team members to each task. Use the RACI acronym to designate who is responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed for each task. The template is customizable and helps ensure that you and your team successfully complete all of your project’s deliverables. 

To learn more about RACI template resources available for Google Sheets, check out this comprehensive collection of free Google Sheets RACI templates.

RACI Model Template

Download RACI Model Template — Microsoft Excel  

Use this RACI model template to manage project roles and responsibilities with precision. The template’s color-coded column sections separate roles into groups (e.g., project leadership, project team members, project sub-teams, and external resources), under which you can assign tasks to individual roles (e.g., executive sponsor, tech lead, or subject matter expert). Under the Project Deliverable (or Activity) column, create project phases and individual tasks. Once you’ve entered all project tasks and phases, you can determine who is responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed for each task. 

Find additional resources for presenting your RACI model and matrices to team members, project sponsors, and other stakeholders in this collection of Microsoft PowerPoint RACI templates.

RACI Chart Template

Download RACI Chart Template with Example Data — Microsoft Excel

Download Blank RACI Chart Template — Microsoft Excel  

This comprehensive RACI chart template, available either pre-filled with sample data or blank, allows you to easily coordinate roles and responsibilities for your project. This template includes built-in phases under which you can assign individual project tasks to team members. For each task, list who is responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed. Choose the version of this template with example data for additional guidance when filling in the details for your own project. 

To learn about RACI template resources available for Microsoft Word, see this collection of free RACI templates for Microsoft Word.

RACI for Change Management Template

Download RACI for Change Management Template — Microsoft Excel  

Designed with change management practices in mind, this RACI template allows you to manage organizational change and assign RACI roles and responsibilities. This template is the perfect solution for project managers or Scrum masters who need to organize their team’s change management tasks. Template headers include Change Manager, Change Owner, Technical Representative, CAB (change-advisory board) , and Customer . Assign RACI roles and responsibilities for each task listed in the Activities column. 

To learn more about optimizing RACI for your projects, read this comprehensive project management guide for everything RACI .

RACI Roles and Responsibilities Template

Download RACI Roles and Responsibilities Template — Microsoft Excel

Track your team’s individual project contributions with this unique RACI roles and responsibilities template. The template helps you stay on top of project deliverables. Enter team member information in the four columns provided, then enter project phases and tasks in the rows. Use the resulting grid to assign team members to be responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed for each task or deliverable. This template allows you to include photos of each team member for easy identification and is completely customizable. 

To learn more about working with a RACI matrix by assignment template, see this RACI by assignment template for Smartsheet.

ITIL RACI Template with Gantt Chart

Download ITIL RACI Template with Gantt Chart — Microsoft Excel  

IT teams need an effective process to track roles and responsibilities for service management (ITSM), change management (ITCM), incident management, and data loss prevention (DLP). This IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) RACI template uses a visually dynamic Gantt chart to help  teams clarify team member roles and responsibilities for each IT request. By using this ITIL RACI template, you can ensure that you assign the right team members and roles to complete all IT tasks. 

Find more ITIL RACI templates and resources in this comprehensive collection of ITIL RACI templates .

Expertly Manage Project Roles and Responsibilities with Smartsheet

Empower your people to go above and beyond with a flexible platform designed to match the needs of your team — and adapt as those needs change. 

The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed. 

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

Discover why over 90% of Fortune 100 companies trust Smartsheet to get work done.

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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The responsibility assignment matrix (ram).

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The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a crucial tool for project managers and teams to ensure clear and efficient allocation of tasks and responsibilities within a project. A RAM, also known as a RACI matrix, is a visual representation of the roles and responsibilities of team members in relation to specific tasks or deliverables.

To create a RAM, it is essential to have a clear understanding of the project goals and the tasks required to achieve them. A RAM helps ensure that no task is overlooked, and all team members are aware of their specific responsibilities.

Visual Paradigm offers an easy-to-use Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Excel template that streamlines the process of creating a RAM. With its intuitive interface and customizable features, the Visual Paradigm RAM template allows teams to quickly create a clear and effective matrix that covers all aspects of the project.

In conclusion, the Responsibility Assignment Matrix is an essential tool for ensuring project success, and Visual Paradigm’s RAM Excel template provides a convenient and straightforward solution for teams to create a RAM that meets their specific needs.

Start creating your spreadsheet today!

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Top 5 Responsibility Matrix Templates with Samples and Examples

Gaganjyot Kaur

The recent advancements in technology have created multiple domains, locations, and virtual connectivity, leading to confusion for many organizations. To achieve success, businesses require smooth execution, which can only be attained by clarifying roles and defining cross-functional responsibilities. Is your workplace struggling with these hurdles that come with a complex environment?

Business planning is essential for functional processes, and inter-departmental project management. It requires a one-stop model to assign these responsibilities.

You can benefit from SlideTeam's Responsibility Matrix Templates that facilitate tracking job management. The responsibility matrix is ​​the need of the hour for role clarity and efficient work culture and represents the RACI The RACI denotes Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed; the people accountable do various jobs.

Our PPT Templates will help you keep relevant stakeholders in the loop during the working of the cross-functional processes. It is a linear responsibility chart that describes the major characteristics used in completing project deliverables.

Use the RACI matrix templates to get detailed and effective ready-to-use slides to elevate management performance. The templates are editable and give the user a 100% capacity to customize the slide according to individual business requirements. Our organized templates will help any business streamline the coherent collaboration of inter-functional processes. 

Delve into these top-notch templates below to know more.

Template 1: Responsibility Accountability RACI Matrix

Our PPT template incorporates a linear responsibility chart to showcase the Roles and Project Deliverables. This PPT Slide will help you elaborate these. It is easier to manage a number of people involved in projects across different domains and departments with the RACI tool. 

For instance, this template includes columns with roles, like Project leadership, Project Team Members, Project Sub-team, and External Resources, which further divide into sub-roles. Similarly, the rows include the actions that are required from these people in due course of time.

This is a requirement, as an enterprise comprises many such roles that are accountable for the timely implementation of the assigned work and accountability for completing it in the allotted time. 

Let the accountability matrix assist you in portraying how this can enhance the performance of each individual and help you to create a high-function work environment. 

Get this template to achieve seamless collaboration of business planning and project management.

Get this template

Template 2: Project Oversight RACI Matrix for Task Responsibility and Accountability

Our PowerPoint template emphasizes the significance of project oversight in managing task responsibility and accountability. Project oversight is a crucial process that ensures tasks are completed using the best techniques, disciplined execution, proper time management, and attention to detail.

Use this slide to demonstrate how to make sure projects comply with organizational requirements through efficient resource allocation. You can get and deliver regular updates on the progress and thereby be consistent in management. This tabular slide will ensure consistency in workflow and the quality of the project management through a transparent work model. 

Review the objectives and reports, identify and resolve hindrances, and evaluate whether there is a deviation from the primary scope of the project with a download of this PPT Slide.

Download now!

Template 3: Six Sigma RACI Responsibility Accountability Matrix

Project management relies heavily on the use of Six Sigma. Its main purpose is to reduce errors, defects, and variations that impact on project performance. The approach is highly structured and helps to improve quality while minimizing waste.

The PPT Layout from SlideTeam presents a structured framework for the Six Sigma RACI matrix, which can enhance project outcomes. It offers a transparent view of the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in the process and their feasibility.

Our slide brings clarity that is crucial for comprehending the role of each individual involved in the project. It will help you balance roles and accountability through the Six Sigma methodology.

Get this slide to demonstrate a data-driven approach that is pivotal to identifying variations and resolving conflicts.

Template 4: Responsibility Accountability Assignment Matrix

Project management involves numerous tasks, stakeholders, inter-departmental team members, and resources. It is a complex process that requires a clear allotment of roles and responsibilities and a precise task list. The Responsibility Assignment Matrix is ​​the appropriate tool to achieve success in a project and ensure a project quality plan.

Our PowerPoint slide is meticulous and can help clarify responsibilities and assignment of work of the project across multi-functional teams and departments. RACI matrix simplifies the distribution and management of work. Each letter in RACI designates a team member who is responsible for completing a task or getting feedback on deliverables.

Use the slide to include all team members and determine their involvement level and appropriate channel of communication for each project task.

Download and personalize this slide to include the tasks and members assigned to do that task through the Responsibility Accountability Assignment matrix.

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Template 5: Responsibility Assignment Matrix Rapid Budget PPT PowerPoint Presentation Icon Maker

Every enterprise aims to achieve success, and an action plan is crucial to reach that goal. The RACI matrix assigns tasks and responsibilities based on a task-driven approach. However, this method can create a gap in decision-making responsibilities between different levels of hierarchy.

You can fill this gap and streamline accountability and responsibility by combining RACI with RAPID where;

R- The person who makes the recommendation, 

A -The person who must agree with the recommendations, 

P – The person who performs the recommendation, 

I – The person providing input to the recommendation, and 

D – The single decision maker.

Utilizing the RAPID decision-making model is crucial for identifying organizational roles effectively. With this model, you can monitor every decision made by the organization across different levels of tasks. This will help prevent confusion, missed opportunities, and eventual failures. 

Acquire two frameworks that promote accountability among team members from various departments. Using the slide, you can create a decision-making model that is critical to the success of the organization.

Template 6: Responsibility Matrix Showing Project Quality Plan

When it comes to project success, there are two key factors: completion and quality. Quality is crucial for any organization, as it involves meeting the required standards for a task. To ensure high-quality deliverables, it's important to develop a Project Quality Plan early on in the project. This plan should outline how to meet the necessary requirements and maintain quality control through quality assurance activities.

Our PowerPoint presentation can help you create a responsibility matrix that outlines the quality plan to ensure the excellence of both the process and final deliverables. Establish quality standards for your work and document the activities necessary to achieve them.

The slide contains comprehensive and accurate details about the quality management plan. It includes information about activities, responsible parties, verified documents, and other crucial factors that play a vital role in achieving successful outcomes.

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Do you want to learn about RASCI matrix? Click here to know how it can work wonders along with the above models in organizing an effective work environment.

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The responsibility matrix framework is absolutely essential for achieving successful results. Get your hands on editable PowerPoint templates that are ready to use, and delegate organizational roles and responsibilities. It's imperative that you monitor every task to avoid failure and ensure quality deliverables. Customize the slides by including all team members, determining their involvement level, and identifying the appropriate channel of communication for each project task. Utilize these available resources and personalize the slide to meet your needs.

You can also benefit from RACI matrix template for effective allocation and supervision of tasks. Click here to enhance the performance of each individual and help you create a high-function work environment. 

FAQs on Responsibility Matrices

What is a responsibility matrix.

A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM), also referred to as an RACI Matrix or Linear Responsibility Chart, outlines the involvement of different roles in accomplishing tasks or deliverables for a project or business process. The Responsibility Matrix is ​​designed to keep you informed about the entirety of cross-functional processes. This linear chart outlines the key roles and responsibilities necessary for completing project deliverables.

What are the 4 roles of RACI?

The RACI matrix is ​​a chart that helps assign responsibilities for tasks, milestones, and key decisions involved in completing a project. It designates which roles are Responsible for each action item, who is Accountable, and who needs to be Consulted or Informed. The acronym RACI stands for the four roles that stakeholders may have in a project:

• Responsible:  The individual who bears direct responsibility for the successful completion of a task within a project.
• Accountable:  The individual who holds the ultimate authority for ensuring the successful fulfillment of a particular task or deliverable .
• Consulted:  The team will consult with someone who has unique insights.
• Informed:  It is important to keep this client or executive who is not directly involved up to date.

Why is the responsibility matrix important?

In order for businesses to succeed, it is crucial to have clear roles and defined cross-functional responsibilities. This can be achieved by ensuring smooth execution through proper planning, both for functional processes and inter-departmental project management. A responsibility matrix which is a one-stop model for assigning responsibilities is crucial to accomplish this. With this, every task can be monitored to avoid failure and ensure quality deliverables.

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