Role and responsibility mapping of project team

Create a framework that maps out the key tasks and type of responsibility across the project phases for each project team member. Use an established decision-making model, such as RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed) or RASCI (Responsible, Accountable, Supporting, Consulted and Informed), to do this.

On this page

• When to use
• Who is involved
• How to do it
• Deliverables and artifacts
• Tools and templates
• Reference materials

When to use

Typically, you do this activity after or while you do the following:

• core project team identification
• extended project team identification

Clearly defining roles and responsibilities of project team members ensures that members

• know what they are responsible for
• know what others on the team are responsible for
• work effectively with each other
• cover all project needs
• make timely decisions

Who is involved

Lead

Project team lead (for example, product manager or project coordinator)

Others who may help

• Colleagues, including core team members, who have previous experience defining roles and responsibilities in other projects
• Management stakeholders, project sponsor or committees who have experience with frameworks for previous similar projects

How to do it

There are 3 steps for this activity.

1. Select an established decision-making model to follow

   For example, use one of the following responsibility assignment frameworks

   • RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed)
   • RASCI (Responsible, Accountable, Supporting, Consulted and Informed)
   • or select another established model that will work for your project

2. Fill in the responsibility assignment framework

   First, define the roles

   • identify the project phases and key tasks (roles) in each phase
   • enter this information in the framework

   Then, define the responsibilities

   • for each project member, identify the level of responsibility (accountability) for each of the key tasks in accordance with the decision-making model selected
   • enter this information in the framework

   Consult

   • other colleagues to identify how frameworks for previous similar projects have been filled out and to learn what has worked well
   • management stakeholders, project sponsor or committees who also may have experience with frameworks for previous similar projects

   With each project member, discuss the roles and level of responsibility assigned to them to ensure they understand, agree and have no concerns.

3. Share and make the responsibility assignment framework available

   Record the location of the framework wherever you are recording project artifacts (for example this could be a Product log , a Pulse project record, or another location).

   Give project team members access to the framework so they

   • are aware of it
   • have access to it throughout the project
   • can advise if any updates are required

Next steps

Once you have defined the roles and responsibilities you are ready to

• hold a project kickoff meeting

Deliverables and artifacts

When you are done, you should have:

• a framework that maps out the key tasks and type of responsibility in various project phases for each project team member

Tools and templates

• Product log template

Reference material

• COPs product team roles and responsibilities
• Setting UX Roles and Responsibilities in Product Development: The RACI Template