When to use it
A useful fit
Use it where handoffs are ambiguous, approval is disputed, or a supplier and internal team share a deliverable.
Know the limits
Do not map every tiny task. A RACI chart cannot grant authority that contracts or line-management arrangements withhold.
How to use it
- Choose consequential deliverables and decisions as rows and roles as columns.
- Agree a clear accountable owner and the responsible contributors for each row.
- Check the assignments with those people, resolve overloaded roles and review when the organisation changes.
Worked example
For a new public service, the sponsor is accountable for the launch decision, the delivery lead prepares the evidence, operations is consulted about readiness, and the wider team is informed after approval. Operations separately owns the support rota rather than inheriting it by implication.
Illustrative scenario by fannarmaximus; not an official exam question.
Common pitfalls
Consulting everyone on every row creates approval bottlenecks and obscures the actual decision owner.
Attribution & sources
RACI is a common responsibility-assignment convention with no single established originator. This example is by fannarmaximus.
The citations below identify authoritative references for this topic. They do not imply endorsement or reproduce the bodies’ competence lists.
- Project Management Institute (2025). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Eighth Edition, and The Standard for Project Management. Newtown Square, PA: PMI®. ISBN 9781628258295.
- Association for Project Management (2025). APM Body of Knowledge, 8th edition. Princes Risborough: APM. ISBN 9781913305390.