By- Rebecca Stuart
Holding your team accountable for their work and projects is vital to any business's success. It can majorly impact a business's productivity and efficiency, as it invokes ownership and ensures that tasks are done right.
It is a powerful motivator that should not be ignored because it ensures that teams adhere to company policies, beat deadlines, and meet company targets. If accountability measures are not in place, this can keep work from being done on time or at all.
Accountability is a common managerial challenge worldwide. But there are solutions to help instill accountability in your team, one of which is the RACI model.
RACI stands for:
Responsible– Those who perform the work
Accountable– Those held responsible for the work being done and those who make the decisions
Consulted– Those who need to be consulted on a decision or how a task is done
Informed– Those who need to be notified when a decision or job is complete
The RACI model is a chart used to assign these roles to the identified project, task, or company structure. It is a visual tool that helps streamline project management processes by delineating different levels of answerability to specific project team members.
In addition to assigning the various roles for a RACI chart, you must also set the expectations for how those roles will be filled.
Communicate with your team about how things are to be executed and the desired outcomes. This step helps to provide them with clarity, eliminates confusion, and increases your team's chances of achieving the set targets and company objectives.
While having standard expectations for various roles is essential, be sure to leave space for your team members to make them work on their own.
Free project management tools have become increasingly popular as businesses, and their work grows in complexity. Such complexities often render projects chaotic, but RACI models can quickly help you keep your projects on track.
Implement RACI models into how you manage projects. This way, you will effectively streamline all project processes and ensure that all team members understand their assigned roles in the project.
To create one, list all your stakeholders on the top row and all project tasks on the first column of the RACI chart. Now, use individual RACI initials to denote each stakeholder's specific level of involvement in every project task.
There are excellent project management sites available that utilize the RACI model features for you. Keep in mind that a good RACI model allows teams to communicate clearly and applies to other project management methodologies.
When breaking down the whole project process in which you are utilizing RACI, identify gaps and overlaps in the process. Resolve these as best you can to make the project process as smooth as possible. Take a closer look at your business process, identify the issue, and select the most suitable team member to handle the task.
It is best to have one person responsible for each task. Even if many people are involved in completing it, it is best to have one person's name to hold them accountable. Remember to update the RACI chart and clarify this with the individuals assigned.
Be thorough when assigning the RACI roles. You want to have every function and task covered.
Be aware that the assigned roles and responsibilities may change over time—plan to reevaluate your RACI framework often and always provide opportunities for your team to offer their input.
Complex projects can sometimes be confusing and chaotic. That is why managers often rely on people with excellent project management skills to see them through. But to increase overall productivity and efficiency, you will need to hold your team accountable for their work. This way, you will be able to invoke ownership and increase efficiency.
A RACI model is a popular tool to instill accountability in your business and ensure projects are on track. This solution works by assigning stakeholders with different levels of answerability vis-à-vis identified project tasks on a RACI chart. It brings clarity and structure to the project management process and helps eliminate confusion regarding project timelines and deliverables.
To get the most out of it, strive to identify all responsibilities and remember to communicate all project expectations with your team. Given that project roles often change with time, you should plan to reevaluate your RACI model more often. Remember to always cross-check for inconsistencies before approving it for use.
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