Purpose
The method helps clarify group input, selection, and decision concretely. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as a responsibility map, role agreements, and open questions.
Facilitation
Responsibility Poker
Turns group input, selection, and decision into a tangible result by choosing tasks or decisions, explaining the responsibility scale, and capturing the agreement.
What expectations do team members have for responsibility per task, where do they differ, and what agreement do we make?
LowWorkshop45-90 min
How it works
The team follows the steps: choose tasks or decisions, explain the responsibility scale, pick cards individually, discuss differences, and capture the agreement. Each step is captured visibly. At the end, a responsibility map, role agreements, and open questions are available so decisions, tests, or actions can follow directly.
Visual orientation
Method sketch for a quick mental model.
Flow
- 1Choose tasks or decisions
- 2Explain the responsibility scale
- 3Pick cards individually
- 4Discuss differences
- 5Capture the agreement
The runsheet guides execution with 5 phases, timeboxes, 5 pitfalls, and clear stop criteria.
Open runsheetIdeal for
- Role Clarity
- Team Alignment
- Delegation Conversations
Not good for
- Formal org-chart decisions
- Conflicts without moderation
Deep dive
In detail
Responsibility Poker follows a clear working logic: choose tasks or decisions, explain the responsibility scale, pick cards individually, discuss differences, and capture the agreement. This turns the method into a visible thinking process rather than only a conversation. Participants move step by step from raw material, observations, or options toward a shared structure. The result is a responsibility map, role agreements, and open questions that make decisions, learning, or further planning actionable.
Facilitation
Prepare a clear guiding question, the right information, and a visible workspace. Plan about 45-90 min with 3-10 people and use the format in a facilitated workshop. The method stays lightweight; short timeboxes, visible intermediate results, and a parking lot for open questions help.
Output artifacts
Responsibility MapRole AgreementsOpen Questions
Artifact templates
Responsibility Poker Working TemplateCompact working template for Responsibility Poker with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.canvas
Responsibility Poker Working TemplateCompact working template for Responsibility Poker with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
canvasresponsibility-poker-working-template.md
Compact working template for Responsibility Poker with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
Responsibility Poker Canvas
Context
What is this method used for?
Core question
Which question should be answered at the end?
Input
Which data, observations, or materials are available?
Working area
- Area 1:
- Area 2:
- Area 3:
- Relationships / patterns:
Output artifacts
- Responsibility Map:
- Role Agreements:
- Open Questions:
Open questions
- ...
Next step
Owner, date, success signal.
When to choose differently
Short decision aid for existing alternatives.
RACI Matrix
Statt Responsibility Poker, wenn ihr Verantwortlichkeiten entlang von Verantworten, Ausführen und Informieren sauber klären wollt.
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