RACI: The Most Organised Four-Letter Word in Business
Everyone’s doing the work… but who’s responsible?
We’ve talked before about why every task needs an owner. Someone who’s ultimately responsible. Why?
So tasks don’t get forgotten or fall through the cracks.
So you can manage workload fairly.
So there’s clarity when things go wrong - and credit when things go right.
We’ve also talked about why defining scope is critical to any project:
We’ve also talked about why defining scope is critical to any project:
To avoid it ballooning beyond its original intent (hello, scope creep).
To protect team time and budget.
To keep everyone aligned on what is - and isn’t - included.
Both of these things - task ownership and clear scope - are the foundations of a well-run business.
And RACI is a natural extension of those same ideas.
If clear task ownership is your first step, and defining scope is your second, then building a RACI is step three: assigning exactly who’s involved in any process and in what capacity. It helps you scale clarity across teams, systems, and workflows - whether you're delivering projects or managing the day-to-day.
What’s a RACI?
A RACI is a simple but powerful tool for clarifying roles and responsibilities across a task, process, or project. It breaks things down into four categories:
Responsible – Who’s doing the work?
Accountable – Who owns the outcome?
Consulted – Who needs to be asked for input?
Informed – Who should be kept in the loop?
Think of it as a cheat code for smoother collaboration, fewer misunderstandings, and stronger delivery.
Why RACIs Matter — Especially in Operations
RACIs are often introduced in project management, but I’d argue they’re even more important in operations. Why? Because regular processes - the things you do every day, week, or month - need even clearer ownership.
When processes aren’t defined, responsibilities blur. Teams assume others are taking care of it. And that’s when things go wrong.
Let me tell you a story.
I once joined a company that had grown quickly. They’d recently split their client work between an Implementation Team and a Support Team. Sounds tidy, right? Only no one had clearly defined where one team’s responsibility ended and the other’s began.
Cue chaos.
The moment of truth came when a client issue arose. I asked, innocently enough, “Who’s handling this part?” And boom. A row erupted - I’m talking literal shouting across desks. Both team leads were adamant it was the other team’s responsibility. I was mortified.
What they needed was an Operations Manager to step in and define the process. Someone to say: “Here’s how it works. Here’s where responsibility shifts. And here’s the handover rule.”
I wasn’t hired as an Ops Manager in that role, but I stepped up. I built the RACI. I saved the day. (Sometimes we all need to channel our inner superhero. You’re welcome!)
The Hidden Power of a RACI
When used properly, RACIs do more than just tidy things up:
They support clear scope - defining not just what’s included, but who’s involved and in what way.
They protect handoffs between teams - no more grey zones.
They improve onboarding - new hires instantly understand their role.
They boost accountability - everyone knows who owns what.
So yes, RACIs are great for projects. But for operations? They’re essential.
If your business relies on people working together - whether on client delivery or internal processes - RACI helps make that collaboration seamless and stress-free.
This week, I’ll take you through each letter of RACI - starting tomorrow with the one everyone jumps to first: R for Responsible.
Let’s make “who does what” a whole lot clearer.