What is a RACI matrix?
A RACI matrix is a responsibility chart that assigns one of four roles to each person for each piece of work: Responsible (does the work), Accountable (answers for it, exactly one person), Consulted (gives input), and Informed (is kept up to date). It clarifies execution roles rather than decision authority.
How do you build a RACI matrix?
List the work items or deliverables as rows and the people or roles as columns, then mark each cell R, A, C, or I. Two rules keep it honest: every row has exactly one A, and rows drowning in C's are a warning sign that consultation will stall the work. The matrix is a communication artifact; if it does not change who gets asked and who gets told, it is decoration.
Is RACI a decision-making framework?
Not primarily. RACI describes ongoing responsibility for work, while decision-specific frameworks like DACI and RAPID assign roles for a single call. Teams often stretch RACI to cover decisions, which works until the Accountable person for the work and the right decider for a contested question turn out to be different people. For decisions worth arguing about, a decision-specific role set plus a written decision record travels better.
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