How to make a RACI matrix: example and step-by-step plan for tasks and responsibilities

What is a RACI matrix and when do you use it?

A RACI matrix, also called a responsibility assignment matrix, puts tasks in the rows and roles in the columns. Each cell contains a letter or nothing. It shows at a glance who does what and who decides on what. The matrix prevents tasks from being left undone because everyone assumes someone else will pick them up, or being done twice.

You use it for a process, such as handling an incident or an internal audit, for a project or for a change in the organisation. For the whole management system it works best per process: a RACI for each important process instead of one large overview that nobody reads.

R, A, C and I: what do the letters mean?

The letters stand for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed. Accountable is usually translated into Dutch as eindverantwoordelijk, meaning ultimately responsible. A role does not need a letter for every task: an empty cell means the role has nothing to do with that task. Some organisations use RASCI, with an S for supporting, but for most management systems RACI is enough. This is what each letter means:

• R (responsible): carries out the task or does the work. There can be several R's, but keep the number small.
• A (accountable): decides, approves the result and is held to account if it fails. Exactly one per task.
• C (consulted): is asked for input or advice beforehand. The communication goes both ways.
• I (informed): is told about the result or the decision. The communication goes one way.

The rule of one accountable person per task

Every row has exactly one A. With two A's nobody ultimately decides and they point at each other when something goes wrong. With no A the task belongs to nobody. The accountable person is the one who has the final say and whom you hold to account for the result, even when others do the work.

A and R may sit with the same person. In a small organisation that is common: a line manager carries out a task personally and is also accountable for it. Assign A to a role and not to a department or team, because you cannot hold a group to account. Also choose someone who has the authority to decide and to release resources.

Making a RACI matrix: the steps

Start with a clearly defined subject. A RACI for everything becomes too large to use. A process with eight to fifteen tasks is a good size for a first matrix, and a matrix that fits on one page actually gets used. Step six is the most important: a matrix drawn up only at a desk often contains assumptions that are wrong, and a role holder who has not been heard does not feel bound by it. These are the steps:

• Choose the scope: the process, project or subject for which you record the responsibilities.
• List the tasks or activities, each as a verb with an object, such as register incident or investigate cause.
• List the roles. Use job functions and not names, so the matrix survives a change of staff.
• Distribute the letters per row and start with the A: who is accountable? Then add the R's, C's and I's.
• Check the matrix: every row has exactly one A and at least one R, and no role ends up with an unworkable number of R's.
• Discuss the matrix with the role holders involved and adjust it where practice differs.
• Record the matrix as a controlled document, communicate it and plan a review.

RACI matrix example: handling an incident

Below is an illustrative example for handling an incident, with four roles: employee, line manager, QHSE coordinator and management. A role that is not mentioned has no role in that task. Adapt the tasks and the distribution to the size and structure of your own organisation.

Note the logic while reading. The employee is A for reporting, because they know the incident first-hand, but not for the investigation. Management is A only where authority or budget is needed. Check with the Dutch Labour Authority (Arbeidsinspectie) when a notification is mandatory. That question belongs in your procedure and not only in the matrix.

• Report the incident: employee A and R, line manager I, QHSE coordinator I.
• Secure the scene and arrange help: line manager A and R, employee R, QHSE coordinator I, management I.
• Register the incident: QHSE coordinator A and R, line manager C, employee C.
• Investigate the cause: QHSE coordinator A and R, line manager R, employee C, management I.
• Notify the Dutch Labour Authority if the accident is reportable: management A, QHSE coordinator R, line manager C.
• Decide on the improvement measure and release budget: management A, QHSE coordinator R, line manager C, employee I.
• Carry out the measure: line manager A, employee R, QHSE coordinator C, management I.
• Check effectiveness: QHSE coordinator A and R, line manager C, management I.

Responsibility and authority: what may a role decide?

An A without authority is a paper responsibility. Anyone accountable for something must also be able to decide, release time and resources and intervene when something goes wrong. Therefore record for each role, besides the tasks, what it may decide independently, within which limits and when it must escalate. The RACI matrix shows who can be held to account for what, the role description shows what comes with it.

These are examples of authorities you can record per role. Amounts, limits and the distribution of roles are illustrative and differ per organisation. Also check that authorities in contracts, powers of attorney or work instructions do not contradict what the matrix says.

• Employee: may stop work and report it if the situation is not safe, without prior permission.
• Line manager: may suspend work, take temporary measures and spend up to an agreed amount.
• QHSE coordinator: may have a deviation or incident investigated and demand a corrective action, but does not decide on the budget.
• Management: decides on spending above the agreed amount and on accepting a major residual risk.

Why ISO standards ask for responsibilities and authorities

ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 all have a clause 5.3 on roles, responsibilities and authorities. In broad terms they ask that top management ensures these are assigned for the relevant functions and are known within the organisation. ISO 9001 also expects them to be understood. ISO 45001 additionally asks for them to be kept as documented information and stresses that workers at every level take responsibility for the aspects they control themselves.

The standards also name tasks that belong to a fixed role, such as monitoring whether the management system meets the standard and reporting on its performance to top management. ISO 9001 also includes assigning responsibility for the processes (clause 4.4). A RACI matrix is not a requirement: an organisation chart, job descriptions and procedures can serve as evidence too. Check with your certification body what they expect.

Common mistakes with a RACI matrix

A RACI matrix rarely fails because of the method, more often because of how it is filled in or managed. Check your matrix against the following points, especially if it is more than a year old or if there has been a reorganisation since it was drawn up:

• Too many R's: if everyone carries out the task, nobody feels responsible. Split the task or decide who really does the work.
• No A, or two A's: the task then has no owner or a disputed one.
• A assigned to a department or working group instead of a role.
• Names instead of job functions, so the matrix is out of date with every staff change.
• Too many C's and I's: if everyone is informed about everything, information becomes noise.
• The matrix is too detailed or too coarse. Nobody reads a hundred lines, and three lines say nothing.
• The matrix was never discussed with those involved and deviates from job descriptions or procedures.
• It is outdated after a reorganisation, new functions or a changed process.

Keeping a RACI matrix up to date

A RACI matrix is not a one-off document. Plan a fixed review, for example yearly, and also look at it after a reorganisation, a new or discontinued function, a changed process and after an incident or audit finding in which it was unclear who was responsible. Appoint an owner of the matrix who oversees the review.

Manage the matrix as a controlled document with a version, approval and the date of the next review, and make sure those involved actually see a change. An Excel file works for one process. With ten processes and frequently changing role holders, versions drift apart. A system in which role, role holder and matrix are linked is then more convenient, because you only change the role holder when someone leaves.

How BrydgeOne supports this

In the Roles & responsibilities module you record the roles of your management system, with for each role what it does, what it may decide and what result is expected. You link a role holder and a deputy and fill in the RACI matrix per process by choosing R, A, C or I in a cell. The processes come from the Processes module, where you also appoint a role as process owner.

Because the matrix is attached to roles, you only change the role holder when staff change and the distribution stays in place. You set a review frequency to check whether a role is still current. You manage procedures and descriptions in Document management, with an approval route, version history and read confirmation with which employees indicate that they have read and understood a change. These roles describe responsibility and do not determine what someone may see in the platform. BrydgeOne helps you collect evidence for clause 5.3; the assessment remains with the certification body.