A huge benefit of avoiding confusion and ambiguity within a project is knowing the roles played by all stakeholders that are involved, and communicating them so that everyone is made fully aware. A RACI chart is basically a responsibility assignment matrix that displays rows of tasks that have been assigned to team members. Typically, the tasks and activities are listed as rows then the resources are listed in the columns, each with an assigned responsibility. It provides a simple way to visualize in a single page who is doing what on a project.
Below are the responsibilities that get listed on the RACI chart:
- Responsible (R) – Those who do the work to achieve the task/activity
- Accountable (A) – The one ultimately answerable for the correct and thorough completion of the deliverable or task
- Consulted (C) – Those whose opinions are sought, typically subject matter experts
- Informed (I) – Those who are kept up to date on progress, often only on completion of the task or deliverable
Ambiguity and lack of clarity on roles creates the perfect breeding ground for a poorly run project. Project Managers should ensure that all tasks are accounted for when creating a RACI chart to remove the potential of finger-pointing when milestones are missed or task slippage occurs. One important thing to note is that the responsibilities on a RACI chart are subject to change depending on the type of project or program.
| # | Activity | Executive Sponsor(s) | Executive Steering Committee | Business Leads | Technology Leads | Program/Project Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Governance and Strategic Direction of the Program | A | C | C | I | R |
| 2 | Resource Management | I | C | A | A | R |
| 3 | Organizational, Policy, and Work Process Changes | C | A | R | R | I |
| 4 | Program Deliverables and Communication | C | I | A | R | R |
Example of a RACI Chart
Benefits of a RACI Chart
- Clarification of Roles and Responsibilities
The RACI chart helps the Project Manager and their teams understand who is responsible for different tasks on the project, and this eliminates confusion or hesitancy that may come with those that are trying to avoid taking on certain tasks within a project.
- Reduces Internal Conflict
One of the biggest reasons for internal conflict within a team is because of teammates blaming one another over who was responsible for working on a missed task or deliverable. The RACI chart can be used to hold people accountable if they were assigned to a task that was not completed on time. When each team member is aware of their responsibility on a project, the chances for internal conflict arising due to the non-performance of work are diminished.
- Cohesion on Resource Allocation
The RACI chart provides the Project Manager with a quick view of who on their team is over-allocated, specifically when one individual has so many things that are assigned to their responsibility. Workloads can then be evened out accordingly so that project resources are not spread too thin. Furthermore, it becomes easy to integrate new resources into the team when it is clear what they will be responsible for upon joining a project.
- Ease of Communication
Stakeholders within a project will be able to know who they need to reach out to depending on the task or issue at hand. Each person will know who on the team is responsible for addressing certain activities with a quick glance of the RACI chart, which works to the benefit of a Project Manager as team members can easily communicate with one another in ways that reduce the feedback loop.
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