RACI — Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed
Definition: A matrix that assigns one of four roles to every person involved in a task. RACI exists because most missed deadlines come from ambiguity about who actually owns the decision.
Example
On a product launch, the PM is Accountable, engineers are Responsible, legal is Consulted, and the CEO is Informed. Two "A"s on the same row is a red flag.
When you'll hear it
RACI shows up most often in board meetings, quarterly business reviews, and strategy off-sites. When someone uses it, they're usually referring to responsible, accountable, consulted, informed — and they expect the room to already know what that means.
FAQs
What does RACI stand for?
RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed.
What does RACI mean in business and finance?
A matrix that assigns one of four roles to every person involved in a task. RACI exists because most missed deadlines come from ambiguity about who actually owns the decision.
Where will I hear RACI used at work?
RACI comes up most often in board meetings, quarterly business reviews, and strategy off-sites. It's used as shorthand for responsible, accountable, consulted, informed, so people assume you already know the term.