Decision Making Decision method

Decision Rights Mapping

Decision rights mapping assigns Recommend, Input, Agree, Decide, and Perform for critical decisions and connects roles to process and timing.

RAPID clarifies decision roles. A decision has exactly one D and generally one lead R. Agree is used sparingly for genuine approval obligations; Input contributes relevant knowledge and Perform executes the decision.

Core question

Who recommends, provides input, must agree, decides once, and performs this specific decision?

Plan Decision Rights Mapping Method guide

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Participants: 4-12
Time: 90-180 min

Decision Rights Mapping uses a RAPID matrix per clearly framed decision with exactly one D role. Assessments remain justified and context-bound.

Paper illustration of Decision Rights Mapping with its method-specific working model.

Select decisions
Select decisions
Frame the 3–5 value-critical decisions as explicit choices.
Assign RAPID
Assign RAPID
Assign R, I, A, D, and P; ensure exactly one D and only genuine A roles.
Install process
Install process
Set inputs, milestones, decision forum, communication, and reopening rule.

After real decisions, review cycle time, rework, and missing input; update roles when governance changes.

A good fit when

Useful for recurring or high-value decisions with friction. RACI is better for general task responsibility.

Ideal for

Organizational design
Mergers
Crisis management

Not good for

Very stable small teams

Outputs

RAPID decision map
RAPID decision map with traceable sources, assumptions, and domain decisions.
Decision and review trail
Owners, dates, and next review for RAPID decision map.

RAPID decision map

Fictional worked example

a RAPID matrix per clearly framed decision with exactly one D role as a precise working structure with a fictional example.

RAPID decision map
Decision	Decision	R: Recommend	I/A: Input and Agree	D: Decide	P: Perform and transition
Enterprise pricingRAPID assignment	Approve enterprise price for 1 October launch; decide 15 August.	Product Lead with Finance model.	I: Sales, CS; A: Legal for contract clauses only.	GM Product.	Billing and Sales Ops; reopen at >10% cost variance.

1. Decision
Enterprise pricing
Approve enterprise price for 1 October launch; decide 15 August.
2. R: Recommend
Enterprise pricing
Product Lead with Finance model.
3. I/A: Input and Agree
Enterprise pricing
I: Sales, CS; A: Legal for contract clauses only.
4. D: Decide
Enterprise pricing
GM Product.
5. P: Perform and transition
Enterprise pricing
Billing and Sales Ops; reopen at >10% cost variance.

The example demonstrates the domain logic of Decision Rights Mapping; worksheets remain blank.

Bain & Company: The Five Steps to Better Decisions

First step

Start with the core question: Who recommends, provides input, must agree, decides once, and performs this specific decision?

Open the method guide

Good to do first

Facilitation

Stakeholder Mapping

Supplies involved roles and relationships to which decision rights are assigned here.

Where to go next?

Paper illustration of an activity-role table with clear RACI assignments and one highlighted accountable role per activity.

Operations

RACI Matrix

Carries the clarified decision roles into operational task allocation.

Delivery

Communication Plan

Communicates the agreed decision process to all roles involved.

Deep dive

Purpose

In organizations with many stakeholders, it often blurs who actually decides and who is merely consulted. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Decision Rights matrix and an agreement.

How it works

For relevant decision types, rights and duties are made visible across roles. This clarifies where domain input ends and governance begins, and duplicate decisions can be spotted early. This creates reliability in complex, multi-level structures.

In detail

Decision Rights Mapping extends frameworks such as RACI, RAPID, or DACI with a deliberate inventory of the most important decision types in an organization or team. It makes implicit assumptions about authority visible and reduces recurring escalations. It is often used in organizational design and transformation programs.

Facilitation

Start with concrete decisions, not with roles. Avoid vague pseudo-agreements. Ask for explicit consent at the end.

The method guide walks execution through 3 phases, timing, 3 pitfalls, and clear stop criteria.

Open method guide

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Sources and topics

Topics

Decision Governance Alignment Responsibility

Sources

Bain & Company: The Five Steps to Better Decisionsmedia.bain.comBain & Company; describes the RAPID framework (Recommend, Agree, Perform, Input, Decide) for mapping decision rights.

In playbooks

Set Up Decision GovernanceMove from decision bottlenecks to roles, rights, escalation paths, and documented decisions.

Artifact templates

Decision Rights Mapping: WorksheetPlan Decision Rights Mapping around its domain steps and the concrete decision question.

markdown

decision-rights-mapping-working-template.md

Plan Decision Rights Mapping around its domain steps and the concrete decision question.

Decision Rights Mapping: Worksheet

Question

To be confirmed

Desired outcome

To be confirmed

Scope

Full workshop Time: 45–75 minutes for 3–5 decisions

Complete this worksheet on paper or in your own document during the work.

Preparation for this scope

Method setup

Materials: Critical decision list, Involved roles, Governance and approval obligations, shared workspace, source links, and decision log.
Roles: Facilitator · process owner · current decision makers · affected performers
Advance information: Collect Critical decision list, Involved roles, Governance and approval obligations in advance and mark open assumptions.
Overall time needed: 45–75 minutes for 3–5 decisions
Setup: Prepare a RAPID matrix per clearly framed decision with exactly one D role visibly and calibrate assessment terms before starting.

Prepare for the work steps

Select decisions: Select decisions

Critical decision list
Involved roles
Governance and approval obligations

Assign RAPID: Assign RAPID

decision list
Involved roles
Governance and approval obligations

Install process: Install process

RAPID assignment
Involved roles
Governance and approval obligations

RAPID decision map

Decision	Verb + subject + scope + date	Who develops the evidence-based recommendation?	Relevant inputs · genuine approval obligations	Exactly one role with final authority	Performers · start · communication · reopen trigger
Enterprise pricing

Enterprise pricing: RAPID assignment

Enter only real input, sources, and decisions.

Bain & Company: The Five Steps to Better Decisions

Select decisions: Select decisions

Expected artifact: decision list

decision list · source · uncertainty · next decision

Entry:

...

Does each row have a clear subject, decision date, and scope?

Assign RAPID: Assign RAPID

Expected artifact: RAPID assignment

RAPID assignment · source · uncertainty · next decision

Entry:

...

Is there exactly one D and a clear lead R?

Install process: Install process

Expected artifact: decision process

decision process · source · uncertainty · next decision

Entry:

...

Is it clear when input closes, D decides, and P begins?

Open questions and next steps

...

Method guide: https://methodatlas.meierhoff-systems.de/en/methods/decision-rights-mapping/run-sheet

Alternatives and neighbors

Fitting alternatives with decision guidance, followed by other related methods.

All methods

Operations

RACI Matrix

Instead of Decision Rights Mapping, choose RACI Matrix when you want to clearly clarify responsibilities along accountable, executing, and informed roles.