What Is a RACI Chart?

On a project with multiple tasks, people, and phases, tracking who is responsible for all the tasks and deliverables is vital. This is where a RACI chart, also known as a responsibility assignment matrix, proves useful. A RACI chart helps you keep track of team member and stakeholder roles and responsibilities by mapping them out in one place.  

RACI is an acronym for:

• Responsible

• Accountable

• Consulted

• Informed

Using a RACI chart helps with decision-making and reduces hold-ups when waiting for approvals. It is particularly useful if you have team members or stakeholders with multiple roles to keep track of. For example, one member might be responsible for a specific task and consult on a different task. 

Sections of a RACI chart

What does a RACI chart include? Let’s take a look at each element of the acronym in more detail: 

Responsible: This refers to the decision-maker ultimately responsible for the overall project or task. Ideally, this section should list only one person per task to ensure everyone knows who to contact for updates and information. 

Accountable: The person listed here reviews and oversees work. They may or may not be the person doing the work. Sometimes, the project manager listed in the “responsible” category may also be the individual here. However, it can equally be someone else in a senior role. You could have someone different for each project element, but only one person should be accountable for a single task.

Consulted: The people listed here are generally subject matter experts or stakeholders. The project requires their knowledge or position to complete and sign off tasks, and dialogue is ongoing between them and the person responsible. You could include multiple people in this part of the chart, each consulted for different tasks. 

Informed: These can be multiple people or groups who receive updates about project progress and completion. They are not necessarily part of the project team but should receive regular updates. If your consulted section is too large, you might be able to move some people into the informed section if you feel it’s appropriate. For example, you might add stakeholders who need to know what is happening throughout the process but don’t require consultation.  

Related terms

• Project plan

• Scrum roles

• Gantt chart

• Sprint plan

Learn project management with Google

Implementing a RACI chart can make a tremendous difference in organising complex projects by clearly defining various roles and responsibilities. In turn, it can help keep projects running smoothly. To begin a career in project management or build on your existing project management skills, learn in-demand skills that can prepare you for a job with the Google Project Management Professional Certificate on Coursera.