A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM), also known as RACI matrix (icon) or Linear Responsibility Chart (LRC), describes the participation by various roles in completing tasks or deliverables for a project

Project

A project in business and science is typically defined as a collaborative enterprise, frequently involving research or design, that is carefully planned to achieve a particular aim. Projects can be further defined as temporary rather than permanent social systems that are constituted by teams...

 or business process

Business process

A business process or business method is a collection of related, structured activities or tasks that produce a specific service or product for a particular customer or customers...

. It is especially useful in clarifying roles and responsibilities in cross-functional/departmental projects and processes.

RACI is an acronym derived from the four key responsibilities most typically used: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed.

Key responsibility roles

Responsible

Those who do the work to achieve the task. There is typically one role with a participation type of responsible, although others can be delegated to assist in the work required (see also RASCI below for separately identifying those who participate in a supporting role).

Accountable (also approver or final approving authority)

The one ultimately answerable for the correct and thorough completion of the deliverable or task, and the one from whom responsible is delegated the work. 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 (sometimes counsel)

Those whose opinions are sought, typically subject matter expert

Subject Matter Expert

A subject matter expert or domain expert is a person who is an expert in a particular area or topic. When spoken, sometimes the acronym "SME" is spelled out and other times voiced as a word ....

s; and with whom there is two-way communication.

Informed

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.

Very often the role that is accountable for a task or deliverable may also be responsible for completing it (indicated on the matrix by the task or deliverable having a role accountable for it, but no role responsible for its completion, i.e. it is implied). Outside of this exception, it is generally recommended that each role in the project or process for each task receive, at most, just one of the participation types. Where more than one participation type is shown, this generally implies that participation has not yet been fully resolved, which can impede the value of this technique in clarifying the participation of each role on each task.

Role distinction

There is a distinction between a role and individually identified people: a role is a descriptor of an associated set of tasks; may be performed by many people; and one person can perform many roles. For example, an organisation may have ten people who can perform the role of project manager, although traditionally each project only has one project manager at any one time; and a person who is able to perform the role of project manager may also be able to perform the role of business analyst and tester.

Matrix format

The matrix is typically created with a vertical axis (left-hand column) of tasks (e.g., from a work breakdown structure

Work breakdown structure

A work breakdown structure , in project management and systems engineering, is a deliverable oriented decomposition of a project into smaller components. It defines and groups a project's discrete work elements in a way that helps organize and define the total work scope of the project.A work...

 WBS) or deliverables (e.g., from a product breakdown structure

Product breakdown structure

In project management, a product breakdown structure is a tool for analysing, documenting and communicating the outcomes of a project, and forms part of the product based planning technique....

 PBS), and a horizontal axis (top row) of roles (e.g., from an organizational chart

Organizational chart

An organizational chart is a diagram that shows the structure of an organization and the relationships and relative ranks of its parts and positions/jobs...

) – as illustrated in the image of an example responsibility assignment (or RACI) matrix.

RASCI

This is an expanded version of the standard RACI, less frequently known as RASIC, breaking the responsible participation into:

Responsible

Those who are responsible for the task, ensuring that it is done as per the approver.

Support

Resources allocated to responsible. Unlike consulted, who may provide input to the task, support will assist in completing the task.

RACI-VS

This is an expanded version of the standard RACI, with two additional participation types:

Verifier

Those who check whether the product

Product breakdown structure

In project management, a product breakdown structure is a tool for analysing, documenting and communicating the outcomes of a project, and forms part of the product based planning technique....

 meets the acceptance criteria set forth in the product description

Product description

A product description in project management is a structured format of presenting information about a project product. Product description is usually created by the project manager and approved by the project board....

.

Signatory

Those who approve the verify decision and authorize the product hand-off. It seems to make sense that the signatory should be the party being accountable for its successor.

CAIRO

This is an expanded version, of the standard RACI, also known as RACIO with one additional participation type.

Out of the loop (or omitted)

Designating individuals or groups who are specifically not part of the task. Specifying that a resource does not participate can be as beneficial to a task's completion as specifying those who do participate.

DACI

Another version that has been used to centralize decision making, and clarify who can re-open discussions.

Driver

A single driver of overall project like the person steering a car.

Approver

One or more approvers who make most project decisions are responsible if it fails.

Contributors

Are the worker-bees who are responsible for deliverables; and with whom there is two-way communication.

Informed

Those who are impacted by the project and are provided status and informed of decisions; and with whom there is one-way communication.

RACI (alternative scheme)

There is an alternative coding, less widely published but used by some practitioners and process mapping software, which modifies the application of the R and A codes of the original scheme. The overall methodology remains the same but this alternative avoids potential confusion of the terms accountable and responsible, which may be understood by management professionals but not always so clearly differentiated by others:

Responsible

Those responsible for the performance of the task. There should be exactly one person with this assignment for each task.

Assists

Those who assist completion of the task.

Consulted

Those whose opinions are sought; and with whom there is two-way communication.

Informed

Those who are kept up-to-date on progress; and with whom there is one-way communication.

RACI (decisions)

This alternative is focused only on documenting who has the authority to make which decisions. May be suitable for use within a small work group.

Recommends

Responsible to recommend an answer to the decision.

Approves

Authorized to approve an answer to the decision.

Consulted

Those whose opinions are sought; and with whom there is two-way communication.

Informed

Those who are informed after the decision is made; and with whom there is one-way communication.

External links

• Comprehensive Series on RACI