Responsibility assignment matrix
A responsibility assignment matrix, also known as RACI matrix or linear responsibility chart, describes the participation by various roles in completing tasks or deliverables for a project or business process. RACI is an acronym derived from the four key responsibilities most typically used: responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed. It is used for clarifying and defining roles and responsibilities in cross-functional or departmental projects and processes. There are a number of alternatives to the RACI model.
Key responsibility roles in RACI model
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 organization 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.;R = Responsible
;A = Accountable
;C = Consulted
;I = Informed
Very often the role that is accountable for a task or deliverable may also be responsible for completing it. 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.
Assigning people to facilities
The matrix is typically created with a vertical axis of tasks or deliverables, and a horizontal axis of roles.| Code | Name | Project sponsor | Business analyst | Project manager | Technical architect | Applications development |
| Stage A | Manage sales | |||||
| Stage B | Assess job | |||||
| Stage C | Initiate project | |||||
| - C04 | Security governance | C | C | A | I | I |
| - C10 | Functional requirements | A | R | I | C | I |
| - C11 | Business acceptance criteria | A | R | I | C | I |
| Stage D | Design solution |
Another example from the maintenance and reliability community
| Tasks | Maintenance supervisors | Maintenance analyst | Maintenance planner | Maintenance technician | Maintenance support | Rel specialist | CMMS project engineer |
| Inputting failure data | A | C | I | R | C | C | |
| Work order completion | R | C | C | C | A | I | I |
| Work order closeout | C | R | C | I | I | A | |
| QA of failure data input | C | R | I | C | I | C | A |
| Analyze failure reports | C | C | I | C | A | R | I |
| Maintenance strategy adjustments | C | I | I | C | A | R | R |
| Implementing new strategies | R | I | R | C | A | I | I |