Comments on: Who Holds The “R”, The RACI Chart

By: JIRA: ENERGY STAR Web CMS

JIRA: ENERGY STAR Web CMS — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:02:38 +0000

[ESWCMS-79] Determine who our EPA stakeholders are….

Holly, thank you for creating this. After doing a little reading into the RACI charts, I don’t think its going to cover what we need. We need something that has some agile spice to it. I think if we can depict in our own way (which we sort have alre…..

By: Vinay Kumar

Vinay Kumar — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 15:40:10 +0000

Yes I agree with Jeremy. Accountable is an individual is where the buck stops. Accoutable will have a group/team who is Resposible to execute the task.

On a larger perspect, Accountable decision driving the TASK is a key for success.

By: Brian Hunt

Brian Hunt — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:15:05 +0000

Jeremy’s correction is needed. The lack of accountability is one of the main reasons why project fail. There can be only one person accountable – one ‘head on the block’

The person accountable makes it all happen. He delegates to R who then involves C and I

By: Tom Brettin

Tom Brettin — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:21:03 +0000

Did we decide on the order of authority and who does the work?

By: Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy Taylor — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:55:22 +0000

excuse me:
order OF authority

By: Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy Taylor — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:53:54 +0000

No no no.
The order or authority is A > R > C > I.
The Accountable individual is where the buck stops and where decision making and veto power lies.
The Responsible individual or group actually do the work. Unlike Accountable, where there should only be one person, the implementation may be done by many. The work is delegated to them by the Accountable person.
See also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsibility_assignment_matrix
http://www.pmforum.org/library/tips/pdf_files/RACI_R_Web3_1.pdf
http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/columns/article.php/3623611

Do NOT be confused by the ordering of the letters in RACI which is irrelevant, simply to make the acronym pronouncable as a mneumonic.

By: admin

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:12:43 +0000

Sam, Lucia,

Both of your points are valid. I usually add the R to the person who I go to if something is not functioning as planned. Being responsible (holding the R) does not mean you are doing the work, and it is usually the person who is accountable (holding the A) who actually performs the tasks and implements the project.

As an example, if you were implementing a new CRM system, the R would be held by the executive sponsor or the president of sales and the A would be held by the program manager. I would work through strategic direction with the holder of the R and would get the work done with the person who hods the A.

I agree with both of your comments in the context they are written.

Thank You!

By: Sam Walton

Sam Walton — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:02:05 +0000

I agree with Lucia Reyes. Another way to put it is to say the “R’s” get the credit for the “A’s” efforts. If the task isn’t completed, the R’s blame the A’s. If the task is completed, the R’s take the credit without mentioning the A’s.

Basic management 101. We see it everyday.

We use this model but with some refinement. In our model, the R’s and A’s are the same person. They are defined as the following:

A–Accountable. This is the person who completes the activity. The buck stops here. Whoever is responsible for the activity needs to make sure that the process works as planned.”

So, our model is based on ACI – not RACI.

It works very well and eliminates deadweight management.

By: LUCIA REYES

LUCIA REYES — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:41:13 +0000

Logically A will be above in hierarchy then R, though for some objectives they could be the same person. Do you agree?

I have seen other analysts describe the R as the “doer” = people who are responsible for the execution of the activity and for preparing the materials related to the activity
I find the above contradictory to your explanation below but maybe it is the famous confusion with R and A

“R–Responsible-The buck stops here. Whoever is responsible needs to make sure that the process works as planned. ”
A–Accountable-This is the person who is delegated the task of completing the Activity. They support the person who owns the R”.