There are many tools that help to organize projects, processes, and own tasks, such as ToDo lists, Kanban boards, spreadsheets, task management systems, chats, emails and various communication tools. And they all can be pretty effective. However, oftentimes, when organizing work, we do not think beyond the “task assignee” concept as we associate a task only with a person who’ll fulfill it.
But the reality of modern projects is much more complex, and many more people are involved, usually implicitly. This is where a responsibility assignment matrix (RAM), like RACI or RASCI, comes in handy. Such a matrix takes into account all the roles involved and makes it clear what roles and people are involved and in which way. In this post, we talk about the most popular responsibility assignment chart, benefits a team can get when using it, a step-by-step instruction to create such a chart for your team, and some RASCI matrix examples from our experience.
RASCI Matrix on Project Team Responsibilities and Accountabilities
What is the difference between RASCI and RACI?
RASCI and RACI are very similar tools used in project management, however, the difference is with the addition of the S for RASCI. The S, the supportive role, performs research, finds necessary information or helps with various other parts of a project as needed or requested. Many businesses use RACI interchangeably with RASCI while still having a support person or group available to assist with projects.
Sometimes, the person in the supporting role is also responsible for performing the task, and so the R and S of RASCI may be the same person. Other times, this person only has the job of supporting, and they may assist the R person instead.
What is RASCI?
The RASCI Matrix, which is also known as the RASCI Responsibility Matrix, is a project management tool that businesses can use to see what different roles or assignments people or organizations have during a project, task or process. Businesses may use the matrix to avoid any confusion about which employee is handling which task and to ensure they assign a specific person to each task when needed. RASCI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Supporting, Consulted and Informed. The five categories that RASCI uses helps to describe each persons various project roles. The five categories and what they mean are:
Its important to remember that one person could be more than one part of the RASCI Matrix on different tasks within a single project. For example, within the same project, one person might be an R on email creation and also an A on networking. Similarly, for larger projects with many tasks or for those tasks that are especially labor-intensive, its common for there to be more than one person from the same branch of the RASCI Matrix assigned to the same task. For instance, there could be two Ss assisting one R depending on the task they need to complete.
What are the benefits of RASCI?
Using RASCI can help a business project by allowing for a smoother workflow and a much clearer division of labor. Here are some of the many benefits of using RASCI:
How to use RASCI
There are several steps involved in using the RASCI Matrix so that your company can make the best of it. These steps are:
Tips for using RASCI
Some tips you can use when using the RASCI matrix include:
FAQ
What is the RASCI stand for?
What is difference between RACI and RASCI?
What is the meaning of RASCI in stakeholders Matrix?
