An important step of project planning is defining what roles and responsibilities around the tasks of the project. RASCI (responsible, accountable, support, consult, and inform) is a tool that can be used to create this framework.
- Responsible (R) - The person responsible for performing the task or activity. Only one person can be responsible for each task.
- Accountable (A) - The project activity owner who supervises, has the authority to make decisions and is accountable for the quality of the work. Only one person can be accountable for each task.
- Support (S) - Person(s) who works with the team member identified as 'responsible' for a task, to assist with completing the task or activity. For example, a business analyst pulls data for a manager, so the manager can make an informed decision and complete the task.
- Consult (C) - Person(s) who provides advice, a subject matter expert, and is included in decision-making. They are not involved in the execution of the task or activity. For example, seeking feedback from a bargaining unit.
- Informed (I) - Person(s) who needs to be kept informed on project status.
The PMO has create a RASCI Template for Metro State departments to use to identify roles and responsibilities.
Why use a RASCI?
By using a RASCI we can:
- Quickly resolve project conflicts within the group
- Efficiently manage projects
- Eliminate all confusion by assigning specific tasks to each project group member
- See that all project responsibility is documented and distributed properly
- Identify if any one individual is overburdened with task assignments
- Provide clarity by establishing the organizational project hierarchy
Adapted from: Interfacing