W16_Austin_Responsibility Assignment Matrix in Project Management

1.    Problem recognition, definition and evaluation

Responsibility Assignment Matrix is a coding structure tehnique that depicts the levels of roles and responsibilities of project team members for assigned project deliverables. A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) uses the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and the Organizational Breakdown Structure to link deliverables and/or activities to resources. Hence, the problem statement is to determine the most preferable RAM coding structure in Project Management.

2.    Development of the feasible alternatives

There are many possible variations to the RAM coding structure. The project team may create unique codes that are more meaningful to the project. Utilizing AACE Best Practices levels of roles and responsibilities in a project organization, they are practically depicted using the following acronyms:

1.    PARIS.
P - Participant; involved, but not at a critical level
A - Accountable; must answer to management for the project task status
R - Review Needed
I - Input Needed
S - Sign Off Required

2.    RACI:

Responsible - owner, the person who owns the work. Each deliverable/activity must have an owner.

Approval - the person who approves the deliverable or activity. There should only be one approver.

Consulted - this person delivers information required to do the work.

Informed - a person that needs to be informed of the progress of the work.

3.    RASCI: This is an expanded version of the standard RACI, for separately identifying those who participate in a supporting role, though less frequently used and known as RASIC, breaking the responsible participation into:

Responsible - Those who are responsible for the task, ensuring that it is done as per the approver.

Support - Resources allocated to responsible. Unlike consulted, who may provide input to the task, support will assist in completing the task.

4.    DACI: Another version that has been used to centralize decision making, and clarify who can re-open discussions.

Driver - A single driver of overall project like the person steering a car.

Approver - One or more approvers who make most project decisions, and are responsible if it fails.

Contributors - Are the worker-bees who are responsible for deliverables, and with whom there is two-way communication.

Informed - Those who are impacted by the project and are provided status and informed of decisions, and with whom there is one-way communication.

5.    CAIRO: This is an expanded version of the standard RACI, with one additional participation type.

Out of the loop (or omitted) - Designating individuals or groups who are specifically not part of the task. Specifying that a resource does not participate can be as beneficial to a task's completion as specifying those who do participate.

3.    Development of the outcomes and cash flows for each Alternative

The RAM can be developed by placing an acronym alphabet (or check mark) in a matrix to assign the deliverables or activities. The matrix is typically created with a vertical axis (left-hand column) of tasks (e.g., from a work breakdown structure WBS) or deliverables (e.g., from a product breakdown structure PBS), and a horizontal axis (top row) of roles (e.g., from an organizational chart) – as illustrated in the image of a typical responsibility assignment matrix (PARIS). Below is an example of PARIS Responsibility Assignment Matrix:

4.    Selection of the acceptable criteria

As part of the Resource Management Plan, Responsibility Assignment Matrix may be updated to include names to individual roles. However, one person can perform many roles, and organization may have ten people who can perform the role of project manager, although for purpose of role distinction, each project only has one project manager at a time; and a person who is able to perform the role of project manager may also be able to perform the role of project engineer and quality control.

5.  Analysis and Comparison of the alternatives

All feasible alternatives of Responsibility Assignment Matrixes (RAM) use the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and the Organizational Breakdown Structure to link deliverables and/or activities to resources. By creating a PARIS RAM, deliverables are assigned a responsible party, who will review or add input and the appropriate approval authority is identified.

6.    Selection of the preferred alternative

There are distinctions between the feasible RAM coding structures, The PARIS matrix provides a realistic picture of the resources needed and can identify if you have enough resources for the project. Additionally, it clearly shows who is responsible for what.

7.    Performance Monitoring and Post Evaluation of Results

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). 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.

8.    References/Bibliography

1.    Humphreys, G. C. (2011). Project Management Using Earned Value (2nd ed. Chap 4 P.91-P.110-Responsibility Assignment Martix Case study). Humphreys & Associates, Inc. Retrieved from: http://www.humphreys-assoc.com/evms/project-management

2.    Thomas, F. Lyons (2012). Levels in Organisations and Role Clarity.Role clarity, need for clarity, satisfaction, tension, and withdrawal. Retrieved from:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0030-5073(71)90007-9, How to Cite or Link Using DOI

3.    A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide). PMI Standards Committee, Project Management Institute. 2010. ISBN 1-933890-66-5.