The Best Projects Are “RACI”

The single most effective project management tool

The project management discipline is incredible tactile and applicable across a number of areas of business. It helps create a sense of manageability for tasks and projects that feel like one long run-on sentence.

The single most impactful project management concept I have found in practice is the RACI matrix, which stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed.

The context in which a RACI is used can vary (as can the acronym!), but fundamentally it is intended to clarify what each team member’s scope and involvement should be a given project stage. It is hard to have too much clarity when stakes are high and timelines are tight.

I found the RACI matrix to be absolutely brilliant in the following contexts:

• Where an individual has both a functional role (usually their ‘day job’ in the business) as well as a project role (temporary and specific to the project in question). Reviewing where they sit on the RACI matrix helps surface differences in expectations between the project lead and the team member, preventing issues during the execution phase which could lead to miscommunication, delays, and even not achieving the project’s objectives.

• With senior leaders, where expectations around roles and involvement can be ambiguous. Taking the time to discuss how involved the executive wishes to be can lead to stronger support throughout the project and an overall better project outcome.

• As part of process improvement objectives.

• Small teams and large teams.

The key with using a RACI matrix on any team is ensuring the team understands the categories, expectations, and that the document is a living one that should be referenced frequently.

Ultimately the RACI adds clarity in a visual, simple and efficient way, and helps the project achieve it’s objectives while engaging the team in the process.

For more information or to find out how we can help your next project succeed or help you with successfully complete your current projects, contact us here.