What is a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) in Project Management?
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Introduction to Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)
Project management is a complex process that involves multiple stakeholders, tasks, and resources. To ensure the success of a project, it is crucial to assign clear roles and responsibilities to team members and accurately define their tasks.
One tool that can help project managers achieve this goal is the Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM). In this article, we will explore the definition and benefits of RAM, as well as some examples.
If you’re looking for a RAM template that will help you assign roles and clarify responsibilities, Wrike has a customizable template ready to go.
What is a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) in project management?
A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) in project management, also known as a RACI chart or RACI matrix, details all the necessary stakeholders and clarifies responsibilities amongst cross-functional teams and their involvement level in a project. RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed and each letter corresponds to a team member.
A RAM in project management should be referred to by all parties throughout a project because it helps plan an individual’s roles and responsibilities before work begins. A RACI matrix ensures all stakeholders know who is responsible for completing a task or getting feedback on deliverables.
The four roles are broken down as follows:
- Responsible: The person(s) completing the task
- Accountable: The team member coordinating the actions, making decisions, and delegating to those responsible for the task
- Consulted: The person(s) who will be communicated with regarding decisions and tasks
- Informed: The person(s) who will be updated during the project and upon completion
Read more about RACI here .
Identify and visualize roles seamlessly with Wrike
Responsibility assignment matrix example.
A common RAM template looks like the example below. Notice how all stakeholders can have more than one role:
Responsibility Assignment Matrix template
Below you can see a powerful RAM template . The chart helps with visualizing roles and workload clearly. Therefore, project managers and team members follow the progress easily and stay on track.
Clarify roles with Wrike
In conclusion, RAM is a useful tool for any project manager who wants to ensure their team is clear on their responsibilities. It helps to establish a structured approach to project management, allowing for better communication, accountability, and ultimately, project success.
Using Wrike’s pre-built template, you can define the roles of each team member so everybody is on the same page. The template will also help you balance your workload and create complete transparency on your team structure.
What is a RACI Chart?
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A RACI matrix is a document that clarifies which individuals or groups are responsible for a project’s successful completion, and the roles that each will play throughout the project. The acronym RACI stands for the different responsibility types: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed.
Successful project management depends on a team-wide understanding of roles and responsibilities. Using a RACI matrix to assign and define each role is a great way to keep a project on track and positioned for success. When designed correctly, the RACI matrix is a way for a project manager to help ensure the success of the project before it’s even begun.
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How Does a RACI Chart Help Project Managers?
Project managers use RACI charts to keep track of team roles and relay those responsibilities to the larger team. The matrix defines clear roles and responsibilities for individual team members across the various phases of the project, breaking each role down into four types of designation: those who are Responsible and Accountable for project deliverables, those who should be Consulted as work begins, and stakeholders who need to be Informed of ongoing progress, roadblocks, and updates.
Read more about project phases
RACI Matrix Definitions
Responsible.
The individual(s) with responsibility for the task or deliverable is typically responsible for developing and completing the project deliverables themselves. The responsible parties are typically hands-on team members that make direct contributions toward the completion of the project. The responsible team is comprised of the project’s “doers”, working hands-on to ensure that each deliverable is completed.
Some examples of responsible parties are:
- Project Managers
- Business Analysts
- Graphic Designers
- Copywriters
Accountable
Accountable parties ensure accountability to project deadlines, and ultimately, accountability to project completion. This group frequently also falls under the informed category.
Some examples of accountable parties are:
- Product Owners
- Signature Authorities
- Business Owners
- Key Stakeholders
Consulted individuals’ opinions are crucial, and their feedback needs to be considered at every step of the game. These individuals provide guidance that is often a prerequisite to other project tasks, for example, providing legal guidance on a project throughout the process. If you are working on new product development or expansion, this could essentially be the entire organization.
Some examples of consulted parties are:
- Legal Experts
- Information Security and Cybersecurity Experts
- Compliance Consultants
Informed persons are those that need to stay in the loop of communication throughout the project. These individuals do not have to be consulted or be a part of the decision-making, but they should be made aware of all project updates. Typically, this party are business owners or stakeholders that are more interested in viewing the project at a 30,000-foot view. Keep this group on your cc list for awareness of topics, decisions, and progress – that includes making them part of the initial project kickoff and project demos as optional attendees. This group often also falls under the accountable group.
Some examples of informed parties are:
- Project Committee Members
- External Stakeholders
Why Are RACI Roles Important?
RACI roles provide a sense of organization and clarity for teams that are looking to divide roles and keep team members accountable for their contributions. Considering that 27% of projects go over budget, for reasons like scope creep and lack of defined roles, RACI roles help position a project for success and avoid common pitfalls.
Moreover, RACI roles help ensure that communication between all roles is ongoing. When you consider that nearly half of all project spending is at risk of being wasted due to a lack of effective team-based communication , it becomes all that more important to prioritize. Ultimately, teams who prioritize communication and well-defined roles are better off, and RACI roles help teams achieve that goal faster – while providing accountability for each team member’s unique contributions to the success of the project.
Read More: Top 10 Main Causes of Project Failure
How to Create a RACI Matrix
If you’re looking to implement a RACI matrix as part of your team’s project planning process, take these steps to create a RACI matrix.
Ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the project and its demands before outlining any further steps by communicating with key stakeholders and decision-makers.
Determine the list of key activities and deliverables from the director of program management or other leadership.
Determine who is needed to be a part of the project or initiative.
Determine the project roles and responsible job titles and persons for each activity and deliverable.
Hold review sessions with key members of the team for alignment, and if you haven’t already, host a kickoff meeting with the entirety of the team and key stakeholders to unveil the matrix, address questions, and more.
If the project has already started, it’s not too late to implement a RACI matrix.
- Outline the story. Using research from multiple sources, do a, b, c, and d.
- Utilize steps 2 and 3 (shown above). Ensure the right groups are assigned and engaged.
- Hold a review session. Ensure that the team acknowledges and discusses the plan and the roles assigned.
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{{ title }}, examples of a raci matrix.
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Who creates the raci matrix.
The RACI matrix — sometimes called RACI model, RACI diagram, or simply just RAC — is created by the project manager at the start of the project as a key part of establishing the initial human resources planning for the project. Because miscommunication is a common threat to any project, RACI charts are a great asset to teams dealing with any type of project, from very simple projects to extremely complex ones.
FAQ: How do I Implement a RACI matrix?
Implementing a RACI matrix takes more than just a few emails and sporadic conversations – it takes consistent communication and planning. You should host a kickoff meeting to introduce the matrix to the team and make a plan to continue meeting at predetermined times throughout the project lifecycle.
Here are a few more tips to keep in mind as you implement your RACI matrix within the team dynamic:
- Get everyone prepared. Send the document around to the meeting distribution as read-ahead material, requesting feedback if there are any major concerns.
- Roll out each role for the team . During the meeting, conduct a review of the tasks and responsible parties. Do not rush through this review, but rather ensure enough time in your project kickoff for this important aspect. (Be certain to clarify the definitions of RACI to avoid ambiguity.)
- Consider changes and update accordingly. After the meeting, send out the notes documenting acceptance or updates to the RACI. In addition to sending out the notes, request any corrections within a reasonable yet defined timeframe. Clarify that if no changes are requested, each person is acknowledging their role and committing to the project tasks as outlined.
- Stay in touch. Consider a quick review with the entire team each quarter or every six months for longer projects to ensure it remains up-to-date and not simply another document in the repository but a relied-upon artifact.
FAQ: What are RACI matrix best practices?
As you implement the raci matrix….
- Encourage teamwork and foster collaboration whenever possible.
- Don’t fear updates – make changes and adjustments as needed (but be sure to communicate those changes clearly to all parties).
- Earlier is better. Roll out your matrix plan to the team BEFORE you plan to implement it for the best results.
- Have a clear-cut understanding of the project scope and how each role connects to the overall project goal.
For “Responsible” Parties:
- Make sure your project’s definition of Responsible is clear on who holds the “decider” role for the project or project phase’s completion, and what the dimensions of that responsibility will be.
- Ensure that all parties are aware of their role and responsibilities within the matrix.
For “Accountable” Parties:
- When multiple Accountable team members must exist, use your definitions to make clear which individual is accountable for a given project element, and how that individual needs to interact with other Accountable team members.
- Ensure that there is only one “Accountable” party assigned per task.
- Be sure that the Accountable party has the authority and power to oversee the task as the accountable party.
For Consulted and Informed Parties:
- Consulted parties are often high-level decision-makers with heavy schedules. Make sure you’re clear on their availability ahead of time.
- Similar to Consulted parties, Informed parties are often less hands-on and have less understanding of day-to-day project operations. As the project goes on, make sure to keep detailed notes to keep the Informed party up-to-date on key information.
- Understand the ways that these parties like to communicate and create a plan to reach them early – whether that’s over phone calls, emails, video calls, or from within your project management system’s collaboration tools.
- Knowing the difference between who needs to be consulted versus informed can be a challenge if there is ambiguity about project roles. Consider what aspects of the project different team members need to know to do their jobs, and then bake those into your definitions.
RACI Matrix Pros & Cons
Free raci matrix templates.
A number of project management software solutions include a native RACI matrix template. Here are just a few we’ve found:
Colorful RACI Chart Template
We love this template from Smartsheet because it’s colorful, thorough, and includes room for every party involved in the project.
Pastel Colored RACI Matrix Template
This template from the Academy to Innovate HR is a great choice for project managers who want to organize their team roles with an easy-on-the-eyes chart that evolves beyond the simple spreadsheet.
Simple RACI Chart from Clickup
These RACI templates from Clickup have enough variety to fit any of your project needs, but are simple enough for even beginner PMs to use.
Detailed RACI Matrix Template
This template is a great starter template for anyone looking to explore RACI charts in their project management strategy. As an added bonus – it comes with the RACI definitions already built in!
Excel-Based RACI Chart Template
Are you an Excel or Google Sheets user looking to take advantage of the RACI matrix? An Excel-formatted template from Project Management Docs can be just the solution for you. This template is a great template for users who want a chart that comes in a pre-formatted structure.
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The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)
Knowing where the buck ultimately stops.
By the Mind Tools Content Team
It takes a lot of effort to keep a large project running smoothly. With a large number of variables, people, and deliverables, it’s hard to keep on top of everything that’s happening. Consider the following scenario:
Hal (the distressed project manager): "What do you mean, we don’t have the test results yet?! What has Katy been doing? Get Katy!"
Katy: "No, Hal, I wasn’t responsible for getting that done. Joan has more expertise in that area, remember? I’ll ask Joan what happened."
Joan: "Gee, Katy, I know I have more experience with these reports, but I was waiting for you to contact me so we could review them together."
Do you recognize anyone you know? This type of situation is repeated daily in organizations across the globe. And most of the time, there’s no incompetence or bad intentions involved. More often, problems like this are the result of inadequate planning and poor communication.
Successful projects have a clear breakdown of who is ultimately responsible for each aspect of the project. Without clear, written, and agreed-upon accountability, it’s far too easy to for communication to fail and for responsibilities to be muddled.
So how do you avoid this?
Developing a Responsibility Assignment Matrix
One tool that project managers use to keep these assignments clear is the Responsibility Assignment Matrix (also called the RAM, or the Responsibility Matrix). This matches deliverables with the people who are responsible for them. For every piece of the project, the matrix shows who needs to contribute what for the project to be completed.
For example, let’s say that you’re upgrading your customer service delivery system, and you need to train your staff to use new procedures and tools.
Step One: Define Your Deliverables
Using a Work Breakdown Structure , you define three key deliverables for this training project, with a few subcategories for each:
- Survey current practice.
- Define new practice.
- Locate resources.
- Prepare training schedule.
- Manage training.
- Re-survey practices after implementation.
- Analyze results.
A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a project planning tool used to break a project down into smaller, more manageable pieces of work (deliverables). It's not a list of every task: rather, it's a "tree" structure showing the meaningful groups of activities that make up the main segments of the project.
Step Two: Identify the People Involved
Map out who is on your project team. By creating a chart of individuals who are available, you can then delegate work assignments based on expertise, and you can recruit talent that you’re missing. This step is often called an “Organization Breakdown Structure” because it creates an organizational chart for your team.
Step Three: Create Your Responsibility Matrix
Draw a matrix. The deliverables are the column headings, and the people are the row titles.
With your team, determine accountabilities as well as other levels of involvement for each item in your Work Breakdown Structure.
A useful framework to determine role assignments is RACI . This defines four levels of involvement:
R = Responsible (People who do the work). A = Accountable (People who make sure the work gets done). C = Consulted (People who provide input before and during the work). I = Informed (People who are kept informed of progress).
Project Management Institute, "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)" – Fifth Edition, (2013). Copyright and all rights reserved. Material from this publication has been reproduced with the permission of PMI.
Other levels of involvement may include “assist”, “coordinate”, “sign off”, and “review”. You can decide how to assign responsibility for your project and your team. But you must be sure that ultimate accountability and responsibility for performing the work are agreed upon and communicated.
Step Four: Communicate
When your Responsibility Assignment Matrix is complete, communicate it to all stakeholders. It’s a good idea to post it in an area where people will see it. Used effectively, the RAM helps people understand what they should be doing at all stages of the project.
Project teams can easily lose focus on what needs to be done and who needs to do it. People may assume that somebody else is doing something – and before long, key pieces of work fall behind schedule.
To avoid this common problem, consider developing a Responsibility Assignment Matrix for your team. This matrix clearly identifies which role each team member has agreed to take on for each of the project’s main deliverables.
With these assignments, you can eliminate miscommunication about who’s doing what – and you can help to ensure that your project is successful.
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Responsibility Assignment Matrix: Template, Example & Benefits
Home Blog Project Management Responsibility Assignment Matrix: Template, Example & Benefits
Your team is the most crucial resource in completing a job. They must adhere to the project's schedule and budget. Controlling the project requires everyone involved to understand their roles and duties when carrying out tasks and accomplishing project objectives. How can all the participants in a project be coordinated so that they are aware of what they are doing and do not prevent others from carrying out their tasks? An assignment of responsibility matrix can be useful.
Your project will have a productive crew thanks to an assignment matrix. You can take an online PMP course to learn the details included in RAM, Responsibility Assignment Matrix in project management, and Responsibility Assignment Matrix example, to advance your career.
What is a Responsibility Assignment Matrix in Project Management?
So, what is the responsibility assignment matrix? A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM), sometimes referred to as a RACI chart or RACI matrix, in project management identifies all relevant stakeholders and specifies roles for cross-functional teams and their level of involvement in a project. Each letter in the acronym RACI, which stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed, refers to a different team member in the Responsibility Assignment Matrix in Project Management.
1. Responsible
The team member that oversees finishing the assignment is the person responsible for the RAM, Responsibility Assignment Matrix. The person in charge may be tasked with gathering all the visual and data assets required to put together the presentation if your team is working on a pitch deck (Responsible for executing the task).
2. Accountable
The responsible team member distributes the tasks to the other team members and ensures that they are finished accurately and on time. This team member oversees making sure the project is completed on schedule and that the tasks are fairly distributed among the accountable parties (Has governing & directing authority).
3. Consulted
A responsible party in Responsibility Assignment Matrix Project Management may frequently need to consult an expert, who serves as the consulted person, to finish certain responsibilities. A professional analysis of the consulted party is required when someone is tasked with gathering marketing statistics for a presentation. They also need to ensure that the data the responsible party is required to submit is accurate (Provide insights, analysis or expert judgment).
4. Informed
The informed party needs to be aware of when the major project components are finished even though they may not be directly involved in all the steps to ensure that everything is running smoothly. The informed team member must be aware of any delays or stalls in the project as they must complete their tasks (Updated with project information and outcome).
Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Goal in Project Management
The goal of the Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is to clearly define roles and responsibilities of everyone on a project team. This ensures that everyone understands their role and how it fits into the bigger picture. RAM also allows for quick identification of whom to contact when an issue arises. It might also be applied within a working group to establish authority levels, roles, and duties for tasks.
The matrix format displays each person's associated actions and each person's associated people. To avoid confusion, this makes sure that there is only one person responsible for each task. It is also important to outline the dates and reminders for each participant, so that they are aware of their deliverables/plans to fulfill the deliverables. The best Project Management Certification programs online will teach you how to make efficient decisions and effectively use RAM.
How to Create a Responsibility Assignment Matrix?
A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a table that shows the tasks needed to be completed as part of a project, who is responsible for each task, and when the task needs to be completed. Making a matrix to distribute responsibilities is not as challenging as getting everyone on board with their respective jobs and responsibilities.
You should therefore involve your staff in the process, receive their feedback, and eventually secure their buy-in without expending excessive time and effort on it. You will have a successful responsibility assignment if you follow these instructions to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
- List every person involved in the project, including the team, stakeholders, and everyone in between.
- List each project deliverable that you can think of. To make sure you do not overlook any, use a work breakdown framework.
- To discuss how to carry out the tasks and produce the deliverables, meet with the team members. The duty and authority of the team for each assignment must be discussed.
- Utilizing a table with the project tasks specified in the left-hand column, create a Responsibility Assignment Matrix. Print the names of everyone involved in the project across the top.
- Assign whether a project team member is liable, accountable, consulted, or informed where the tasks meet them.
- Share the completed Responsibility Assignment Matrix Template Word with the project team and stakeholders. If necessary, conduct a meeting to ensure that everyone is aware of their responsibilities for the project. Print a copy, and if you are working in a common location, post it.
Developing Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Best Practices
The best practices for developing a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) will vary depending on the specific project and organization. However, some tips on how to develop a RAM matrix effectively include the following:
- Define the project scope and objectives clearly, so that all stakeholders understand the parameters of the project and what is expected to be accomplished.
- Assign clear roles and responsibilities to individuals and teams so that everyone knows who is responsible for what aspect of the project.
- Make sure that the Responsibility Assignment Matrix PMP is kept up to date as the project progresses so that everyone is aware of any changes in roles and responsibilities.
- Use the RAM matrix as a tool to help identify potential risks and issues related to the project so that they can be addressed early on.
- One stakeholder leads a task.
- The lesser number of people are accountable, the better.
- Act efficiently with meetings.
- Continuous communication.
- Stakeholder agreement on final RAM.
Responsibility Assignment Matrix Examples and Templates
- Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RACI)
- RACI-VS (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed- “V”erification and “S”ign off)
- RASCI (Responsible, Accountable, Support, Consulted, Informed)
- RAC (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted)
- ARCI (Accountable, Responsible, Consulted, Informed)
- RATSI (Responsibility, Authority, Task, Support, Informed)
- PACSI (Perform, Accountable, Control, Suggest, Informed)
- RACIQ (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed, Quality Review)
- DACI (Driver, Approver, Contributors, Informed)
- CAIRO (Consulted, Accountable, Informed, Responsible, Omitted)
Downloadable Responsibility Assignment Matrix Template Excel
Download the Responsibility Assignment Matrix Template (xlsx) here!
This Responsibility Assignment Matrix template is available for free in both Excel and OpenDocument Spreadsheet formats. The template can be completely modified using Microsoft Excel and adjusted to meet the needs of your project. To make it simple to understand what is required of each worker on each task, the template employs conditional formatting to change the color of each cell.
Download a Printable Responsibility Assignment Matrix PDF
Download the Responsibility Assignment Matrix Template (PDF) here!
If you intend to design a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM), you may require samples and templates to use as a guide, regardless of whether you are managing an event, a construction project, or a restaurant. Some of the templates are-
- Responsibility Assignment Matrix Sample
- Responsibility Assignment Matrix for Construction Project Template
- Basic Responsibility Assignment Matrix Sample
- Responsibility Assignment Matrix in PDF
Benefits of Responsibility Assignment Matrix
There are many benefits of the Responsibility Assignment Matrix. One benefit is that it helps to ensure that everyone on a project team understands their roles and responsibilities. This can help to prevent misunderstandings and conflict between team members. Another benefit of using RAM is that it can help to improve communication between team members.
By clearly defining roles and responsibilities, team members will know whom to go to for specific information or tasks. This can help to avoid confusion and delays. Lastly, RAM can help to improve project management by providing a clear overview of who is responsible for what. This can help project managers to identify potential problems or areas where there may be a lack of resources.
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A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a tool used to identify and define the roles and responsibilities of individuals and groups within an organization. It is a means of clarifying who is responsible for what and ensuring that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. RAM can be used to create accountability and ownership for tasks and projects, and to identify potential areas of conflict.
It is a valuable tool for effective project management and can help to ensure that everyone involved in a project is aware of their roles and responsibilities. It can also help to identify potential areas of conflict and ensure that tasks are properly assigned. The KnowledgeHut online PMP course will give you an insight into the Responsibility Assignment Matrix and can be a helpful tool for any project manager.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. what is included in a responsibility assignment matrix.
A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a tool used to help define and assign roles and responsibilities for a project or process. The matrix typically includes a list of tasks or deliverables and the people or groups responsible for each.
2. What can a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) eliminate?
RAM eliminates ambiguity and confusion over who is responsible for what on a project. It also provides a clear overview of who is responsible for each task, making it easier to hold team members accountable.
3. What does a Responsibility Assignment Matrix not show?
The duty assignment matrix links resources to the tasks or work packages they must do, but it does not indicate when they will be required to do their work.
Kevin D.Davis
Kevin D. Davis is a seasoned and results-driven Program/Project Management Professional with a Master's Certificate in Advanced Project Management. With expertise in leading multi-million dollar projects, strategic planning, and sales operations, Kevin excels in maximizing solutions and building business cases. He possesses a deep understanding of methodologies such as PMBOK, Lean Six Sigma, and TQM to achieve business/technology alignment. With over 100 instructional training sessions and extensive experience as a PMP Exam Prep Instructor at KnowledgeHut, Kevin has a proven track record in project management training and consulting. His expertise has helped in driving successful project outcomes and fostering organizational growth.
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The responsibility assignment matrix (ram).
by Humphreys & Associates on November 26, 2013 last modified November 7, 2017
The RAM shows the WBS on one axis and the Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) on the other . The intersection of these axes designates who is responsible for what products or services and is known as the control account. After detail planning is completed, the RAM is dollarized and then depicts the total budget for each CWBS element and the total budget for each respective control account manager .
The Responsibility Assignment Matrix not only helps ensure that someone is responsible for all contractual work scope ; it also verifies that there is only one individual assigned with responsibility for that work. When developing a RAM, the level of the organization and the CWBS level should not be driven so low that costs to maintain the EVMS become excessive. Finding the most optimum balance of cost, schedule, and technical visibility generally provides the best definition for the control account.
The Responsibility Assignment Matrix is always a part of the data call information requested for EVMS reviews. It is a good document to easily determine the value of control accounts as well as view them by organization/function and Contract Work Breakdown Structure (CWBS) element.
Traceability between the RAM and other program documentation must always be maintained . The RAM is updated whenever there is a change to control account budgets. The budget for a control account shown on the RAM should always equal the budget on the work authorization document for that control account. The sum of all budgets identified to control accounts on the RAM should also equal the amount of distributed budget shown in the Contract Budget Base Log. The sum of the control account budgets plus Undistributed Budget equals the Performance Measurement Baseline ( PMB ). Finally, these budgets will trace to the Contract Performance Report (CPR) or the Integrated Program Management Report (IPMR) in Formats 1 and 2.
If you have any questions regarding the Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) feel free to contact Humphreys & Associate s or leave a question on the blog.
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- PMP® Exam Tip: The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)
It is especially useful in clarifying roles and responsibilities in cross-functional/departmental projects and processes. RACI is an acronym derived from the four key responsibilities most typically used:
Very often the role that is Accountable for a task or deliverable may also be Responsible for completing it (indicated on the matrix by the task or deliverable having a role Accountable for it, but no role Responsible for its completion, i.e. it is implied).
RAM Definition
A grid that shows the project resources assigned to each work package. PMBOK® Guide
Outside of this exception, it is generally recommended that each role in the project or process for each task receive, at most, just one of the participation types. Where more than one participation type is shown, this generally implies that participation has not yet been fully resolved, which can impede the value of this technique in clarifying the participation of each role on each task.
Furthermore, there is a distinction between a role and individually identified persons: a role is a descriptor of an associated set of tasks, which may be performed by many persons, and one person can perform many roles.
For example, an organisation may have 10 persons who can perform the role of project manager, although traditionally each project only has one project manager at any one time; and a person who is able to perform the role of project manager may also be able to perform the role of business analyst and tester.
On larger projects, RAMs can be developed at various levels. For example, a high-level RAM can define which a project group or unit is responsible for major phases of the project, while lower level RAMs are used within the group to designate roles, responsibilities and levels of authority for specific activities.
RACI Definition
A common type of RAM that uses responsible, accountable, consult and inform statuses to define the involvement of stakeholders in project activities. PMBOK® Guide
The matrix format shows all activities associated with one person and all people associated with one activity. This also ensures that there is only one person accountable for any one task to avoid confusion.
The PMBOK® Guide also states that one example of a RAM is the RACI chart, showing the work to be done in the left column as activities. The assigned resources can be shown as individual or groups. The RACI is just one type of RAM; the project manager can select other options such as "lead" and "resource" designation or others as appropriate for the project. The RACI is particularly important when the team consists of internal and external resources to ensure clear divisions of roles and expectations.
It is recommended that the project manager involves team members when developing the responsibility assignment matrix. While the PM can develop an initial, rough draft, it is impossible for him or her to know exactly how tasks should be performed in each area of expertise. Involving the team therefore not only leads to a more precise matrix, but in addition the team members will also feel greater ownership of assignments, leading to greater commitment and participation.
PMP® Exam Sample Questions
Test your understanding of the RAM with this sample question from the PMP® Exam Simulator:
- Sample Question
- Answer and Explanation
Which type of tool will you use to depict the relationship between work to be done and project team members?
A) Matrix-based B) Hierarchical C) Text-oriented D) Gantt chart
Correct Answer: A) Matrix-based.
Explanation: A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) is a grid that shows the project resources assigned to each work package.
Reference: PMBOK Guide 5th Edition, page 262
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The responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) shows the intersection of work packages and resources. Generally, RAMs are used to show the different levels of participation on a work package by various team members rather than physical resources. RAMs can indicate different types of participation depending on the needs of the project. Some common types include:
- Accountable
- Responsible
The RAM always should include a key that explains what each of the levels of participation entails. An example follows using a RACI chart, as demonstrated in the PMBOK ® Guide – Sixth Edition. The needs of your project should determine the fields for the RAM you use.
The responsibility assignment matrix can receive information from:
- Scope baseline
- Requirements documentation
- Stakeholder register
It is a data representation tool that provides information to the resource management plan in process
- Plan Resource Management in the PMBOK ® Guide – Sixth Edition. It is progressively elaborated as more information about the scope and the resource requirements is known.
Tailoring tips
Consider the following tips to help tailor the RAM to meet your needs:
- Tailor the types of participation appropriate for your Some projects require “sign-off” of specific deliverables, whereas others use the term “approve.”
- Determine the appropriate level to record information on the Large projects with multiple vendors and large deliverables often use the RAM as the intersection of the WBS and the OBS (organizational breakdown structure). Small projects may use it at the deliverable or activity level to help enter schedule information.
The RAM should be aligned and consistent with the following documents:
- Work breakdown structure
- Procurement documents (RFP, RFQ, etc.)
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Responsibility Assignment Matrix
A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is sometimes called a RACI Chart, or Responsibility Matrix.
There are several avoidable excuses in the project management world, such as:
- I didn’t think I was supposed to be doing that!
- I thought (name other employee here) was doing that!
- But the contractor was responsible for that!
The Responsibility Assignment Matrix will prevent this from happening on your project!
Responsibility Assignment Matrix Definition
The Association for Project Management (APM) definition is as follows:
A diagram or chart showing assigned responsibilities for elements of work. It is created by combining the work breakdown structure (WBS) with the organisational breakdown structure (OBS).
The APM (BoK 6th edition) further states that a RAM is used to assign the work packages to the people responsible for creating the project’s output.
So when you have a list of those involved in the project ( the OBS ) and the tasks in the project ( the WBS ) you can create your matrix!
Check what your organisation calls it, and use the same terminology.
A Responsibility Assignment Matrix could be at department and work-package level for larger projects, or individual people and task level for smaller projects.
A RACI chart is a matrix of the project tasks (from the WBS) against the people in the project (from the OBS). It ensures that everybody knows what they are expected to deliver, by giving every task has an accountable task owner.
RACI stands for;
- Responsible – I’m involved with this task
- Accountable – I’m accountable (own) this task
- Consult – Consult me before you do anything
- Inform – Inform me of your intentions and progress
Other definitions can be found in text books: Primary and Secondary ownership, Owner and Support, RASCI, etc.
Interestingly, there is some debate about the difference between “Accountable” and “Responsible” and an indication that originally the “A” was for Approve which does make some sense. Personally, I advocate the use of Accountable for one, and only one person on each task.
Creating a Responsibility Matrix
There are several tools that you can use to create these matrices. It really depends on the application that you have your task list available in. A list of tasks in Microsoft Project can be copied and pasted into other applications.
- A WORD Table could be used. However you may be limited to the width of your paper, so this may be a problem for a large project.
- An EXCEL Spreadsheet is a good choice, however care must be taken on setting up a ‘Print Area’ to share the document. (Print to pdf could be used)
Consider how you are going to share the matrix with the project team and other stakeholders when you create it.
One of the best ways to populate the matrix is at a project team meeting, asking for staff to state their involvement on a task by task basis. this will create a dialogue around each task – the start of project communication .
Responsibilities in Microsoft Project
Although you can assign resources to tasks in Microsoft Projec t, you cannot define their roles in the RACI type format.
Microsoft Project Resource Names
Personally, I encourage people to assign the accountable owner first, so that the first name on the Gantt chart is the accountable task owner.
I wrote about assignments in Microsoft Project in a previous blog .
Knowing that every task has an owner is vital if the project is to be completed on time. The Responsibility Assignment Matrix is the tool to use in order to make sure that task ownership is clear.
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Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Template | FREE Download
The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) shows 'who does what' on a work package or task. It is a popular tool because it shows what is expected of each member of the project team 'at a glance'. Scheduling tools like Microsoft project allow multiple resources to be linked to a task, but there is no easy way to show what each resource is expected to do - RAMs fill the gap. stakeholdermap.com
- See a screenshot of the template
- How to use the template
- Download the Excel Template
How to use the RAM template
- Enter your project details on the first tab
- Open the second tab named RAM
- List your work packages down the left hand side (replacing Workpackage 1, 2, 3.. etc)
- Enter the names of your project team in the columns. Replacing Person (1,2,3..)
Responsible
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Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)
A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a project management tool used to define and assign roles and responsibilities to team members in a project or an organization. It helps to clarify expectations, enhance communication, and ensure that all tasks are assigned to the appropriate individuals. RAM is particularly useful in large, complex projects where multiple stakeholders are involved.
Purpose: The purpose of a RAM is to provide a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities for each team member in a project. It aids in preventing confusion, miscommunication, and duplication of effort while ensuring that tasks and responsibilities are effectively allocated and managed.
Role: The RAM plays a significant role in project management by:
- Defining roles and responsibilities: It helps to identify and outline the roles and responsibilities of each team member in relation to specific tasks or work packages.
- Enhancing communication: By clearly defining responsibilities, RAM facilitates better communication between team members and stakeholders, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
- Streamlining decision-making: The matrix simplifies decision-making by identifying the individuals responsible for making decisions related to specific tasks.
- Monitoring and control: RAM serves as a valuable reference tool for project managers to track progress, identify bottlenecks, and ensure tasks are completed on time.
Components: A RAM typically includes the following components:
- Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): A hierarchical decomposition of the project scope, breaking it down into smaller, manageable work packages or tasks.
- Roles: The different roles involved in the project, such as project manager, team lead, subject matter expert, etc.
- Responsibility indicators: Symbols or codes used to indicate the level of responsibility assigned to each role for a specific task. Common indicators include Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed (RACI).
Importance: A RAM is important for successful project management as it helps to:
- Clearly define and communicate roles and responsibilities.
- Improve collaboration and coordination among team members.
- Streamline decision-making and problem-solving.
- Enable more effective monitoring and control of project progress.
- Enhanced clarity and communication of roles and responsibilities.
- Reduced miscommunication, confusion, and conflict.
- Improved efficiency and effectiveness in project execution.
- Facilitates better resource allocation and workload management.
- Provides a clear visual representation of roles and responsibilities.
- Streamlines communication and decision-making.
- Helps to ensure tasks are assigned and completed efficiently.
- May become overly complex in large projects with numerous tasks and roles.
- Requires regular updating and maintenance as project scope, tasks, or team members change.
- May not be as useful in small projects or teams with well-defined roles and responsibilities.
Examples to illustrate key concepts: Imagine a software development project with multiple teams responsible for different aspects of the project, such as development, testing, and documentation. Creating a RAM for this project would involve breaking down the project scope into work packages or tasks and assigning roles and responsibilities for each task. The RAM would clarify who is responsible for coding a specific feature, who needs to review and approve the code, and who needs to be consulted or informed during the development process. This clarity helps to improve communication, collaboration, and overall project execution.
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Knowing is Key: Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) vs. RACI Matrix Explained
In the realm of project management, effective communication and clearly defined roles are crucial for success. Two widely used tools to achieve this clarity are the Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) and the Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed (RACI) Matrix. While both serve the purpose of delineating responsibilities within a project, they differ in their approach and application.
Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM):
The Responsibility Assignment Matrix, often known simply as the RAM, is a visual representation that connects project tasks with the individuals or roles responsible for their execution. It provides a comprehensive overview of project responsibilities, helping to identify gaps or overlaps in roles. Key Features:
- Task-Centric Focus: RAM primarily centers around tasks or activities. It lays out who is responsible for what task, making it a valuable tool for project managers to ensure that all necessary activities are accounted for.
- Detailed and Specific: RAM allows for a granular breakdown of responsibilities. It can go beyond project phases and delve into individual tasks, providing a more detailed perspective on roles and assignments.
- Limited to Responsibility: RAM generally focuses on the “R” (Responsible) aspect of project roles, emphasizing the assignment of tasks rather than detailing the broader aspects of communication and decision-making.
Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed (RACI) Matrix:
The RACI Matrix, on the other hand, takes a broader approach by encompassing not only responsibility but also the concepts of accountability, consultation, and information dissemination. It is a more holistic tool that ensures a well-rounded understanding of who is involved in key project decisions and communications. Key Features:
1 Comprehensive Role Definition : RACI incorporates four key roles:
- Responsible (R): The person or team responsible for the task’s execution.
- Accountable (A): The ultimate decision-maker, the one who ensures the task is completed and meets the required standards.
- Consulted (C): Individuals or teams that provide input and feedback before decisions are made.
- Informed (I): Those who are kept in the loop, notified of decisions and outcomes but do not play a direct role in task execution.
2 Decision-Making Clarity: The inclusion of the ‘Accountable’ role in RACI brings clarity to decision-making processes. This ensures that there is a designated party responsible for the final outcome of each task or project phase.
3 Communication Emphasis: RACI highlights the importance of effective communication by explicitly designating roles related to consultation and information sharing. This is particularly crucial in complex projects with multiple stakeholders.
Choosing the Right Tool:
The choice between a Responsibility Assignment Matrix and a RACI Matrix depends on the project’s complexity, the need for detailed task-oriented breakdowns, and the emphasis on communication and decision-making clarity. While RAM excels in offering a detailed task-centric view, the RACI Matrix provides a more comprehensive understanding of project roles, ensuring that responsibilities, accountabilities, consultations, and communications are clearly defined.
In conclusion, whether you opt for a RAM or a RACI Matrix, the key is to choose the tool that aligns best with your project’s goals and complexity, fostering a transparent and efficient workflow for all stakeholders involved.
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A RAM is a project management style with four main roles: responsible, accountable, consulted and informed. It helps everyone understand their role and how they fit in with the others on a big project. Learn the benefits, steps and examples of using a RAM for your business.
In business and project management, a responsibility assignment matrix [1] ( RAM ), also known as RACI matrix [2] ( / ˈreɪsi /) or linear responsibility chart [3] ( LRC ), is a model that describes the participation by various roles in completing tasks or deliverables [4] for a project or business process.
A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) is a project management chart that defines the roles and responsibilities of people and organizations on a project. Learn what a RAM is, why you should create one, how to create one, and how to use a free template from ProjectManager.
A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) describes the participation of various organizations, people, and their roles in completing tasks or deliverables for a project. The Program Manager (PM) uses it to clarify roles and responsibilities in a cross-functional team, projects, and processes.
A RAM is a tool for breaking down tasks into manageable pieces and assigning them to different roles and responsibilities. Learn the definition, benefits, and examples of a RAM, as well as the RACI model and the RACI chart.
A RACI matrix is a document that clarifies which individuals or groups are responsible for a project's successful completion, and the roles that each will play throughout the project. The acronym RACI stands for the different responsibility types: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed.
Step One: Define Your Deliverables Using a Work Breakdown Structure, you define three key deliverables for this training project, with a few subcategories for each: Identify training needs: Survey current practice. Define new practice. Coordinate the training: Locate resources. Prepare training schedule. Manage training.
What is the Responsibility Assignment Matrix or RAM? Project managers like using a RAM to identify the role of the various members of a project team. This matrix is a structural chart in which is visually made clear (on paper or through project management software) what should be done by whom in cross functional or departmental projects.
A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM), sometimes referred to as a RACI chart or RACI matrix, in project management identifies all relevant stakeholders and specifies roles for cross-functional teams and their level of involvement in a project.
The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a graphic representation that reflects the integration of project participants such as work teams, subcontractors, and internal organizations with individual Contract Work Breakdown Structure (CWBS) elements to form Control Accounts (CA).The RAM shows the WBS on one axis and the Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) on the other.
A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM), also known as RACI matrix or Linear Responsibility Chart (LRC), describes the participation by various roles in completing tasks or deliverables for a project or business process. It is especially useful in clarifying roles and responsibilities in cross-functional/departmental projects and processes.
A RACI chart, also called a RACI matrix, is a type of responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) in project management. In practice, it's a simple spreadsheet or table that lists all stakeholders on ...
The responsibility assignment matrix, also known as RAM, is a helpful tool used in project management to identify and clarify the roles and responsibilities of each team member. It ensures that every team member understands their duties and how they fit into the project plan.
The responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) shows the intersection of work packages and resources. Generally, RAMs are used to show the different levels of participation on a work package by various team members rather than physical resources. RAMs can indicate different types of participation depending on the needs of the project.
The PMBOK Guide 4th Edition (starting in section 9.1) defines RACI as a responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) which is used to illustrate the connections between work packagers or activities and project team members. On larger projects, RAMs can be developed at various levels. For example, a high-level RAM can define what a project team group ...
A diagram or chart showing assigned responsibilities for elements of work. It is created by combining the work breakdown structure (WBS) with the organisational breakdown structure (OBS). The APM (BoK 6th edition) further states that a RAM is used to assign the work packages to the people responsible for creating the project's output.
The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) shows 'who does what' on a work package or task. It is a popular tool because it shows what is expected of each member of the project team 'at a glance'.
A responsibility assignment matrix is a technique for arranging agile team roles. It outlines the responsibilities of each team member by tagging them with one of four labels as follows: R for responsible, A for accountable, C for consulted, and I for informed (RACI). Project managers use RAM to guide scrum teams.
A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a project management tool used to define and assign roles and responsibilities to team members in a project or an organization. It helps to clarify expectations, enhance communication, and ensure that all tasks are assigned to the appropriate individuals. RAM is particularly useful in large, complex projects where multiple stakeholders are involved.
A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a valuable tool for any business, no matter the size. It is a structured way to ensure that every aspect of a project is assigned to the correct person, thus ensuring that each person knows what is expected of them and helps to keep the project on track. To better navigate all this, opt for a reliable ...
The Responsibility Assignment Matrix or RAM is an essential tool used in project management. It is a document that clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of every team member involved in a project. Project managers use an assignment matrix to define cross-functional teams' performance within the project's and processes' bounds ...
The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a graphic representation that reflects the integration of project participants such as work teams, subcontractors, and internal organizations with individual Contract Work Breakdown Structure (CWBS) elements to form Control Accounts (CA).
The Responsibility Assignment Matrix, often known simply as the RAM, is a visual representation that connects project tasks with the individuals or roles responsible for their execution. It provides a comprehensive overview of project responsibilities, helping to identify gaps or overlaps in roles.