How detailed should the task list be?

Aim for 10-25 tasks for a typical project. Fewer than 10 and you are probably missing important deliverables. More than 25 and the matrix becomes unwieldy. Each task should be a discrete deliverable or milestone, not a sub-task. "Write PRD" is the right level. "Write Section 3 of the PRD" is too granular. If you need sub-task-level tracking, put that in your project management tool and keep the RACI at the deliverable level.

Should I use names or roles in the columns?

Use roles when the RACI will outlast the current team composition (process documentation, repeatable launch playbooks). Use names when the matrix is for a specific one-time project and you need to eliminate ambiguity about exactly who is doing what. For the filled example above, we used both: roles as column headers and names in the roles table, so either can be referenced.

What is the difference between RACI and RASCI?

RASCI adds a fifth role: Supportive (S). The Supportive person assists the Responsible person in executing the task but does not own it. In practice, most teams find that R already covers this (you can have multiple Rs on a task). RASCI adds complexity without adding clarity for most projects. Stick with RACI unless your organization has a specific need for the Supportive distinction.

How do I handle tasks that span multiple sprints?

If a task spans multiple sprints (like "Build backend"), you have two options. Option 1: Keep it as one row in the RACI and track sprint-level breakdown in your [sprint planning](/guides/how-to-run-sprint-planning) separately. Option 2: Split it into milestone-level rows ("Build API endpoints," "Build data migration," "Performance testing"). Option 1 keeps the matrix simple. Option 2 is better for large, multi-month projects where you need milestone-level accountability.

When should I update the RACI?

Update it when any of these happen: a new task or deliverable is added to the project, a team member joins or leaves, a task is reassigned, or scope changes eliminate a task. Do not update it for routine status changes (a task going from "in progress" to "done"). The RACI tracks accountability, not status. Use your project management tool for status tracking. ---

RACI Matrix Template

What This Template Is For

The most common source of project failure is not technical complexity. It is role confusion. Someone assumed the PM was handling the legal review. The PM assumed engineering was on it. Nobody was on it, and the launch slipped by two weeks. A RACI matrix eliminates this failure mode by making one thing explicit: for every task, who is Responsible, who is Accountable, who needs to be Consulted, and who needs to be Informed.

RACI is the standard framework for responsibility assignment in cross-functional teams. It was formalized in the PMBOK Guide and is used across product, engineering, marketing, and operations. This template gives you a ready-to-use matrix, a validation checklist, guidance on when to use RACI vs. the DACI alternative, and a filled example for a multi-team product launch.

For managing the broader stakeholder landscape (identifying who your stakeholders are and how to engage them), see the Stakeholder Map Template and the Stakeholder Management Handbook. If you are planning a launch specifically, the Go-to-Market Plan Template covers the strategy layer while this template covers the execution accountability layer.

How to Use This Template

List all tasks or deliverables. Break the project into discrete tasks. Each row in the matrix is one task that needs a clear owner.
List all roles or people. Each column is a person or role involved in the project. Use roles (e.g., "Engineering Lead") rather than names when the matrix will outlast personnel changes.
Assign exactly one letter per cell. For each task-person intersection, assign R, A, C, I, or leave blank.
Validate the matrix. Run the validation checklist below. The two most common errors are tasks with no Accountable person and tasks with multiple Accountable people.
Share and get agreement. A RACI matrix only works if everyone on it has seen it and agreed. Send the completed matrix to all stakeholders and explicitly ask: "Does this match your understanding of who owns what?"
Update when scope changes. When new tasks are added or roles change, update the matrix. An outdated RACI is worse than no RACI because it creates false confidence.

RACI Definitions

Letter	Role	Definition	Rule
R	Responsible	Does the work. Executes the task and delivers the output.	Every task needs at least one R. Multiple Rs are allowed (shared execution).
A	Accountable	Owns the outcome. The single person who approves or signs off on the work.	Every task needs exactly one A. Only one A per task. This is the person who answers "yes, this is done."
C	Consulted	Provides input before the work is done. Two-way communication.	As few as possible. Too many Cs slows decisions.
I	Informed	Notified after the work is done or a decision is made. One-way communication.	Include anyone who needs to know but does not need to weigh in.

RACI vs. DACI: When to Use Each

RACI	DACI
Best for	Execution accountability. Who does what?	Decision accountability. Who decides what?
Key roles	Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed	Driver, Approver, Contributor, Informed
Use when	Mapping task ownership across a project	Mapping decision ownership across an initiative
A/D difference	Accountable = owns the outcome (approval)	Driver = leads the process, Approver = makes the call
Typical scope	Project plan with 10-50 tasks	Strategy or initiative with 5-15 key decisions
Example	"Who writes the pricing page copy?"	"Who decides the pricing model?"

Rule of thumb. Use RACI for project execution (tasks, deliverables, milestones). Use DACI for strategic decisions where the decision-maker and the person driving the analysis may be different people.

The RACI Matrix Template

Project Information

Field	Details
Project Name	[Name]
Project Lead	[Name]
Date Created	[Date]
Last Updated	[Date]
Status	Draft / Agreed / Active / Complete

The Matrix

Task / Deliverable	[Role 1]	[Role 2]	[Role 3]	[Role 4]	[Role 5]	[Role 6]
[Task 1]
[Task 2]
[Task 3]
[Task 4]
[Task 5]
[Task 6]
[Task 7]
[Task 8]
[Task 9]
[Task 10]

Validation Checklist

Run these checks after completing the matrix. A RACI that violates these rules will cause confusion.

☐ Every task has exactly one A. If a task has zero As, nobody owns the outcome. If it has two As, nobody owns the outcome. One A per row, no exceptions.
☐ Every task has at least one R. Someone needs to do the work. A task with an A but no R means the accountable person has no one executing.
☐ No one is overloaded. If one person has R on 80% of tasks, they are a bottleneck. Redistribute or add capacity.
☐ Cs are minimized. Every C slows the process because they need to be consulted before work proceeds. If a person is C on more than half the tasks, ask whether they really need to provide input or if they can be downgraded to I.
☐ No person is A and R on the same task (in larger teams). In small teams, the same person may do and approve the work. In cross-functional projects, separating A from R adds a quality check.
☐ Blank cells are intentional. A blank cell means "this person has no involvement in this task." Verify that blanks are correct, not accidental.
☐ Everyone on the matrix has reviewed and agreed. A RACI is a social contract. It does not work unless all parties have seen it.

Filled Example: Product Launch for Collaborative Dashboards Feature

Project Information

Field	Details
Project Name	Collaborative Dashboards Launch
Project Lead	Sarah Kim (Product Manager)
Date Created	March 4, 2026
Last Updated	March 4, 2026
Status	Agreed

Roles

Abbreviation	Role	Person
PM	Product Manager	Sarah Kim
EL	Engineering Lead	Marcus Chen
DES	Designer	Jordan Lee
PMM	Product Marketing Manager	Rachel Torres
CS	Customer Success Lead	Diego Fernandez
QA	QA Lead	Priya Patel

The Matrix

Task	PM	EL	DES	PMM	CS	QA
Define feature requirements (PRD)	R, A	C	C	I	C	I
Design UX and create mockups	C	C	R, A	I
Build backend (API, data model)	I	R, A
Build frontend (UI components)	I	R	A	C
Write test plan and execute QA	C	C	R, A
Write customer-facing help docs	C	C	R	A
Create launch blog post	C	R, A	C
Prepare sales enablement materials	I	R, A	C
Train CS team on new feature	I	C	C	R, A
Coordinate launch timing and go/no-go	R, A	C	C	C	C	C
Monitor post-launch metrics (7 days)	R, A	R	R	R
Collect and triage launch feedback	R, A	I	I	I	R	I

Validation Summary

☐ Every task has exactly one A. Pass. All 12 tasks have one A.
☐ Every task has at least one R. Pass. All 12 tasks have one or more Rs.
☑ No one is overloaded. Flag: PM is R or A on 7 of 12 tasks. Acceptable for PM as project lead, but monitor workload.
☑ Cs are minimized. Pass. No person is C on more than 6 tasks.
☐ All stakeholders have reviewed. Pending. Meeting scheduled for March 6.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Multiple Accountable people on one task. "Sarah and Marcus are both accountable for the launch decision." This is how balls get dropped. If both are accountable, neither is. Pick one. The other is Consulted.
Using RACI as a power play. Assigning yourself as A on every task is not leadership. It is a bottleneck. Distribute accountability to the people closest to the work.
Creating the matrix and never looking at it again. A RACI is a living document. When scope changes, tasks are added, or team members change, update the matrix. Reference it when confusion arises about who owns a decision or deliverable.
Too many Consulteds. When six people need to be consulted before a blog post can be published, nothing gets published on time. For each C, ask: "Does this person need to provide input before the work happens, or do they just need to know after?" If the latter, they are an I, not a C.
Not getting explicit agreement. Sending the matrix over email and assuming silence means consent is not alignment. Walk through the matrix in a 15-minute meeting and ask each person: "Do you agree with your assignments?"

Key Takeaways

Every task needs exactly one Accountable person. This is the most important rule. No exceptions
Minimize the number of Consulted roles per task. Each C adds a communication dependency that slows progress
A RACI is a social contract. It only works when all parties have explicitly reviewed and agreed
Use RACI for task and deliverable accountability. Use DACI when you need to map decision-making authority
Update the matrix when scope, tasks, or team composition changes. An outdated RACI creates false confidence

About This Template

Created by: Tim Adair

Last Updated: 3/4/2026

Version: 1.0.0

License: Free for personal and commercial use

RACI Matrix Template