Definition: a model used to help define who is responsible / accountable;
The RACI model is built around a simple 2-dimensional matrix which shows the 'involvement'
of Functional Roles in a set of Activities. 'Involvement' can be of different kinds:
Responsibility, Accountability, Consultancy or Informational (hence the RACI acronym).
The model is used during analysis and documentation efforts in all types of Service
Management, Quality Management, Process- or Project Management. A resulting RACI chart
is a simple and powerful vehicle for communication. Defining and documenting responsibility
is one of the fundamental principles in all types of Governance (Corporate-, IT-Governance).
What does that mean? All projects require management. Simple enough.
This model is designed to define each level of management and required interaction
on a project or application. The four core levels of involvement attempt to
define who should know what about the project/application/system. Each level
has more direct interaction than the previous level.
The levels are defined as:
- Responsible
Those who do the work to achieve the task. There is typically one role with a participation
type of Responsible, although others can be delegated to assist in the work
required (see also RASCI below for separately identifying those who participate
in a supporting role).
- Accountable (also Approver or final Approving authority)
Those who are ultimately accountable for the correct and thorough completion of the
deliverable or task, and the one to whom Responsible is accountable. In other
words, an Accountable must sign off (Approve) on work that Responsible provides.
There must be only one Accountable specified for each task or deliverable.
- Consulted
Those whose opinions are sought; and with whom there is two-way communication.
- Informed
Those who are kept up-to-date on progress, often only on completion of the task or
deliverable; and with whom there is just one-way communication.
Very often the role that is Accountable for a task or deliverable may also
be Responsible for completing it (indicated on the matrix by the task or deliverable
having a role Accountable for it, but no role Responsible for its completion,
i.e. it is implied). Outside of this exception, it is generally recommended that each
role in the project or process for each task receive, at most, just one of the participation
types. Where more than one participation type is shown, this generally implies that
participation has not yet been fully resolved, which can impede the value of this
technique in clarifying the participation of each role on each task.
Note: I stole most of that from Wikipedia.