What a RACI matrix is
A RACI matrix is a table that crosses activities with people (or roles) and marks each one's part in each activity: R (Responsible, who does the work), A (Accountable, who answers for the result and decides), C (Consulted) and I (Informed). It ends the "I thought that was yours" problem.
The rule that holds the matrix together: every activity has exactly one A and at least one R. Without that, either nobody decides or everybody does.
Visual map of the RACI matrix
The map shows the four letters, the example matrix with 8 activities and the validation rules.
The four letters
| Letter | Role | Question it answers | How many per activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| R | Responsible | Who does the work? | 1 or more |
| A | Accountable | Who answers for the result and has the final say? | Exactly 1 |
| C | Consulted | Who must give input before the decision? (two-way) | 0 or more |
| I | Informed | Who needs to know afterwards? (one-way) | 0 or more |
A and R can fall on the same person, written A/R, when the one who does the work also answers for the result. What is not allowed is two As on the same row. Variants such as RASCI (with S for support) exist, but plain RACI covers most shop floor cases.
Example: rolling out kanban on line 3
Illustrative example. The project to roll out a kanban system on line 3 involves five roles and eight activities. The project WBS supplies the list of deliverables; the matrix assigns the roles.
| Activity | PM (production manager) | PE (process engineer) | SUP (supervisor) | QA (quality) | MNT (maintenance) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1. Approve scope and targets | A | R | C | C | I |
| T2. Build WBS and schedule | I | A/R | C | I | C |
| T3. Map the current flow | I | A | R | C | I |
| T4. Size the kanban cards | I | A | R | C | C |
| T5. Train the operators | I | C | A/R | C | I |
| T6. Adjust station maintenance | I | C | C | I | A/R |
| T7. Validate pilot quality | I | C | C | A/R | I |
| T8. Approve closure and lessons | A | R | C | C | C |
| Total A (accountable) | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total R (does the work, including A/R) | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Check performed on the example: all 8 rows have exactly one A (2 + 3 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 8) and at least one R. Reading by column shows the load: the process engineer holds 3 approvals and 3 executions, the supervisor executes 3 activities but approves only 1, and the production manager approves 2 without executing any, which fits that role. If the engineer is overloaded, the fix is to delegate the R of activity 2, not to duplicate the A.
How to build one in 6 steps
- List the activities from the WBS or the project charter, as action verbs.
- List the roles, not just names. People change; roles remain.
- Fill in the A first: one per row. If there is no agreement on who it is, the problem has already shown up.
- Fill in the Rs, then the Cs and Is, only where they matter.
- Validate: one A per row, at least one R, and no row or column full of Cs.
- Validate with the people in a short meeting and post it on the project board or next to the schedule.
Where to use it beyond projects
- Recurring processes: lot release, tool change, nonconformance handling.
- Documents: who writes, who reviews, who approves and who gets a copy of an SOP.
- Improvement events: roles in a kaizen event.
- Changes: who decides and who is informed in change management.
RACI, stakeholders and agile methods
RACI defines roles in activities; stakeholder analysis defines how much power and interest each group has in the project. They complement each other: the C and I of the matrix often come from that analysis. In teams using Scrum, roles are already defined by the method, and RACI is kept for interfaces with areas outside the team.
Common mistakes
- Two As on the same row: the decision has no owner.
- No A at all: nobody answers for the result.
- Too many Cs: every consultation delays the decision. Consult only those who hold information the doer lacks.
- A matrix built alone: without validation by the people involved, it ends up in a drawer.
- The boss as A on everything: the matrix loses its purpose of distributing decisions.
- Never updating it: when the team or scope changes, review the matrix.
Frequently asked questions
What does RACI stand for?
Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed.
Can an activity have two As?
No. The central rule is a single A per activity, so the decision has an owner.
What is the difference between R and A?
R does the work; A answers for the result and has the final say. They can be the same person (A/R).
What is the difference between C and I?
C is consulted before the decision, in two-way communication. I is only informed afterwards, in one-way communication.
When should I use RASCI instead of RACI?
When you need to show who supports the execution (S, for support). For most shop floor cases, plain RACI is enough.
How big can a RACI matrix be?
There is no fixed limit, but beyond 8 to 10 roles or 20 activities it gets hard to read. Split it by phase or deliverable.
Sources
- PMI. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide). Project Management Institute.
- ISO 21502:2020. Project, programme and portfolio management: guidance on project management.
- KERZNER, H. Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. Wiley.
Keep studying: trusted sources and links
- PMI: Standards and publications (PMBOK Guide)
- ABEPRO: Associação Brasileira de Engenharia de Produção (in Portuguese)
- Wikipedia: Project management
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About the author
Lean Manufacturing & Behavioral Management Specialist
Over 20 years in the automotive and metalworking industries (GM and Dana), Lean Manufacturing practitioner since 2006. SENAI instructor and mentor in Brazil’s Brasil Mais Produtivo program, delivering consulting, training and audits for 50+ companies, combining quality, productivity and people development.
