RACI matrix
Definition
A responsibility assignment matrix that maps each task or decision to four role categories: Responsible (who does the work), Accountable (who owns the outcome), Consulted (who provides input), and Informed (who needs to know the result).
RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed. The matrix was developed as a tool for clarifying roles on complex projects where multiple stakeholders touch the same work. In organizations without clear RACI clarity, the most common symptoms are: decisions get revisited, people are surprised by outcomes, and no one feels they can act without checking with everyone.
The four categories:
- R — Responsible: The person or team doing the actual work. Can be multiple people.
- A — Accountable: The person who owns the outcome and signs off. Only one per task.
- C — Consulted: People whose input is sought before the decision or work is complete. Two-way communication.
- I — Informed: People who need to know the outcome but aren't involved in the work. One-way communication.
Common mistakes:
- Multiple Accountables per task — creates diffuse ownership.
- Too many Consulteds — slows everything down.
- Confusing Responsible with Accountable — the PM is often A, the engineer is R.
On a whiteboard: RACI matrices are frequently drawn during kickoffs and project planning sessions. Rows are tasks or decisions; columns are roles or people. The matrix is a natural whiteboard output. Snap it with BoardSnap to generate a summary table before the session ends.
Examples
- A product team draws a RACI matrix at the start of a launch to clarify that the PM is Accountable for the go/no-go decision, engineering is Responsible for the build, legal is Consulted, and the exec team is Informed.
- A consulting firm uses RACI matrices with every new client engagement to establish clear ownership during the kickoff.
- An ops team documents a RACI for their incident response process — on-call engineer is R, engineering manager is A, product is I.
- A cross-functional team maps a RACI on the whiteboard during a kickoff meeting, then photographs it with BoardSnap before everyone leaves the room.
Snap a raci matrix. Ship its actions.
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