Session Brief: RACI Matrix

Goal

Artifact: RACI Matrix

Working Question

Who carries final responsibility for each activity, who actively contributes, who is consulted and who is informed?

Context

Process or project frame; complete list of activities or deliverables (15-40); roles, not people; known conflicts from recent weeks; existing RACI or responsibility documents.

Setup

• Format: Method session
• Duration: 45-90 min
• Mode: Workshop or async
• Participants: One facilitator (process lead or PMO); representatives of all roles involved in the process; one sponsor with mandate to decide conflicts; one scribe for consolidation and publication.
• Owner: One facilitator (process lead or PMO)
• Participation mode: Team round, shared work and alignment
• Outcome logic: Finish artifact

Participation Logic

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome Logic

The session works directly toward RACI Matrix. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

Input

Table (Confluence, Notion, Google Sheets) with rows for activities/deliverables and columns for roles; visible R/A/C/I legend; activity list; role list; timer per activity block.

Preparation

Prepare empty table. Legend: R = Responsible (does the work), A = Accountable (one person, carries final responsibility), C = Consulted (provides input beforehand), I = Informed (is informed). Rule: exactly one A per row.

Agenda

1. Phase 1: Sharpen activities and roles (10-15 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Review activity list, split overly broad items, merge overly fine ones. Check role list: roles, not people, no teams as monolithic unit. Hint: RACI at team level ("Engineering") is usually too broad. The real decider is a role (Engineering Lead, Architect, Senior Engineer). Output: RACI Matrix

2. Phase 2: First assignment (20-30 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Per row: Accountable first (exactly one role). Then Responsible (one or more). Add Consulted and Informed. Silent work, then collection. Hint: Multiple As per row are the most common trap. If two roles want to be Accountable, the activity is either too large or the conflict is open. Split activity or sponsor decides. Output: Responsibility Map

3. Phase 3: Conflict resolution (20-30 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Make conflicts and gaps visible: rows with two As, empty cells, overloaded roles (too many Rs). Go through conflicts one by one; sponsor decides on spread. Hint: Conflicts are the most valuable result. Avoid quick consensus compromises; document dissent if it cannot be resolved. Output: Decision Notes

4. Phase 4: Overload and simplification (10-15 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Column check: does one role have too many As (bottleneck) or too many Cs (overconsultation)? Consolidate or redistribute. Hint: More than 5-7 As per role is a bottleneck. At 10+ Cs in one column, the role becomes a bottleneck and process slows. Actively reduce Cs. Output: RACI Matrix

5. Phase 5: Publication and cadence (10-15 min) Owner: Owner Action: Store matrix in shared tool as single source of truth. Communicate to all involved. Schedule review in 4-6 weeks for first adjustment. Hint: A RACI without communication is ignored. Owner must present the matrix in the next routine meeting, not only link it as documentation. Output: Responsibility Map

6. Publish artifact (10 min) Owner: Owner Action: Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients. Output: RACI Matrix

Closeout

• Update result artifact: RACI Matrix
• Define location, version, and review recipients.
• Define owner, next step, and review date.

RACI Matrix: RACI Matrix

Working Question

Who carries final responsibility for each activity, who actively contributes, who is consulted and who is informed?

Context

Process or project frame; complete list of activities or deliverables (15-40); roles, not people; known conflicts from recent weeks; existing RACI or responsibility documents.

Participants

• Owner: One facilitator (process lead or PMO)
• Participants: One facilitator (process lead or PMO); representatives of all roles involved in the process; one sponsor with mandate to decide conflicts; one scribe for consolidation and publication.

Input

Table (Confluence, Notion, Google Sheets) with rows for activities/deliverables and columns for roles; visible R/A/C/I legend; activity list; role list; timer per activity block.

Template

RACI Matrix Working Matrix

Output artifacts

• RACI Matrix:
• Responsibility Map:
• Decision Notes:

Decision or recommendation

What consequence follows from the matrix?

Completion Check

• RACI Matrix is complete enough for review:
• Location:
• Version / status:
• Review by:
• Next step:

Next Step

• Review result
• Mark open questions
• Schedule review or decision