If you have opened this article and worry that it will be intended only for the project managers, I have got good news for you – everyone regardless of their position can benefit from the RACI Matrix.
If we follow the definition of a project then it’s a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. Projects are all around us. From a large construction building to planning a holiday gathering for your family.
Regardless of the size or complexity of the project, it’s easy to lose track of tasks and responsibilities. Luckily, creating a simple RACI chart can help you to prevent these issues.
What is a RACI matrix?
A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM), linear responsibility chart (LRC), or simply RACI matrix is a chart used to assign roles and responsibilities, mapping out every task, milestone, or key decision on a project. By defining every role involved in a project and assigning each role with relevant tasks and responsibilities, you’ll ensure a transparent and understandable task management process.
RACI matrix roles and responsibilities
As you may guess, RACI is an acronym that stands for four roles that team members can take
during the project. The four roles include:
- Responsible: Person who is responsible for completing the task, objective, or making the decision. There can be multiple responsible persons for a single item.
- Accountable: Person who is responsible for approving completed tasks, objectives, or decisions. There can be only one accountable person for each item.
- Consulted: Person who should give some extra input before the item can be completed. These persons should be included to give their expertise during the completion process. There can be multiple consultants for each item.
- Informed: Person who should be informed regarding the progress but don’t play any role to ensure the results. Think of those persons as carbon copies (cc) in your email. There can be multiple informants for each item.
Here’s a visual RACI chart example, including all the roles and responsibilities mentioned
previously:
How to create a RACI matrix
You can create a RACI matrix following 3 simple steps:
- In a spreadsheet app enter all project roles or person names across the top row.
- Gather all the tasks, objectives, and decisions in the left column.
- Assign roles for each item clearly stating each person’s involvement.
Of course, there is easier way. You can save time and download a free RACI matrix template.
RACI matrix rules and best practices
Best RACI practices aren’t hard to follow, there are rules of thumb for you:
- At least one responsible person for every item.
- High collaboration effectivity on a project.
- Smooth transitions and handoffs during project turnover.
- Prioritized and improved communication between teams and team members.
Summing up all the benefits in one sentence, a RACI matrix encourages teams and team members to take responsibility for their work, collaboratively pushing limits for the higher standards.
A RACI matrix for team meeting management
You already know that Meetinch is a meeting collaboration tool that helps to plan, run, track, and schedule effective meetings.
When and why use a RACI matrix for a team meeting? Every project has meetings, right? Usually, inputs for project meetings are the outputs from the previous meetings, e.g., tasks and decisions made. If you manage your project meetings as recurring team meetings (and we advise you to do so) then your action item list grows after every meeting and it’s important that the team members keep track of their roles and responsibilities.
This is where your RACI matrix comes in handy, you just need to update it with action items after every team meeting.
Of course, you can use Meetinch Historical To-Dos to automatically replicate meeting action items to a RACI matrix. You just need to add one extra parameter defining to-dos for a team meeting on Meetinch – a role for a responsible person. No more manual information gathering after the meeting – make your next team meeting more effective! 🙂
P.S. If Meetinch is something new for you, this is how you can set up your first team meeting.
