This document discusses using the RACI methodology to define clear roles and responsibilities. RACI assigns the roles of accountable, responsible, consulted, and informed to activities and decisions. It clarifies who is accountable for ensuring tasks are completed, who is responsible for doing the tasks, who must be consulted, and who must be informed. Developing a RACI chart is a 5-step process that identifies key activities, roles, and assigns responsibilities. Benefits include clarifying accountability, pushing responsibilities to lower levels, eliminating overlaps, and increasing productivity through well-defined roles.

1. Defining clear Roles &
Responsibilities
The RACI Methodology

2. How often do you hear this?
• “I don't know what to do here."
• "I don't know whom to go to for authorisation."
• "I find out after it's too late that I should have informed someone."
• "I could help but no one asked me."
• "I have the responsibility but not the power to get the job done."
• "No one is prepared to make a decision."
• "Things are going unnoticed and are therefore being neglected "
• "I am doing work that is part of someone else's job"

3. RACI – A great organisational design tool
• A method to identify “key” activities and decisions
which assigns the roles involved
– Identify all activities and decisions that must be done or
made to run the day-to-day business effectively
– Identify for the activity or decision:
• Who is Accountable
• Who is Responsible
• Who must be Consulted
• Who must be Informed
– Document on matrix for reference
R
A
C
I

4. A RACI is helpful to clarify Roles & Responsibilities
(R)esponsible:
The person who has to do it
(A)ccountable:
The person who has to make sure
it is done
(C)onsulted:
Must always be consulted
before it is done - a two way process
Final decision
maker
The buck
stops here
(I)nformed
Must always be informed
after it is done - a one way process
One way
process
Two way
process

5. RACI Definitions
• Accountable:
• The person who is ultimately accountable for an activity / decision
• Only one "A" can be assigned to an activity or decision
• Can also be “Responsible” for the activity or decision
• Responsible:
• People who perform an activity / decision; the “Doers”
• “R’s” can be shared
• Consulted:
• People who must be consulted before an activity or decision is
performed
• Informed:
• People who must be informed after a decision or action; this can be via
email, phone call, visual management, etc.

6. What are the benefits of using RACI charts
• Clarify the connection between the “A” and the “R”
• Ensure accountability is positioned at the right level
• Push responsibilities and accountabilities down to the lowest level
• Clarify the single “A” concept
• Understand the interfaces between business process areas
• Identify gaps in accountabilities and responsibilities
• Provide employees the authority to get the job done
• Increase productivity through well defined responsibilities and
accountability
• Eliminate overlaps, redundancies and misunderstandings
• Eliminate unnecessary interfaces and place accountability where it
belongs

7. The 5 step RACI process
• Step 1: Define the activities / decisions
• Step 2: Make a list of role players
• Step 3: Design the RACI charts
• Step 4: Analyse and validate the RACI charts
• Step 5: Get feedback and buy-in

8. Guidelines for developing a RACI chart
• Remember the new way of thinking when defining roles and
responsibilities:
 Eliminate “checkers checking checkers”
 Encourage teamwork
• Authority must accompany accountability
• Place accountability (A) and responsibility (R) at the lowest possible
level
• Minimize the number of consults (C) and informs (I)
• All roles and responsibilities must be documented and communicated