Introduction

In project management, it is very important for all the stakeholders to understand the responsibilities and accountabilities of each person. While smaller teams can have more informal rules to keep track of responsibilities, in bigger teams with cross-department and inter-organizational collaboration, it is very important to create a more formal process to track responsibilities. This helps reduce confusion and leads project to faster completion. Read our RACI Model training course review.

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RACI Matrix

One of the important tools for tracking roles & responsibilities is the Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RACI matrix). RACI stands for:

• Responsible – Who is responsible for the execution of the task?
• Accountable – Who is accountable for the tasks and signs off the work?
• Consulted – Who are the subject matter experts who to be consulted?
• Informed – Who are the people who need to be updated of the progress?

The difference between Consulted and Informed categories is that in the former case there is a two-way communication (getting their inputs in the process too) and in the latter case there is just a one-way communication (just letting them know).

Example Usage

Let us take a simple example. John is developing a feature X that would be integrated with feature Y developed by Jess. Mike is the project manager and Irina heads the quality control. For feature X, in this case, John is “Responsible”, Mike is “Accountable”, Jess needs to be “consulted”, since her features have to work with John’s features, and Irina needs to be just “Informed”.

Why is a RACI matrix useful?

1. It lets the organization know if some people are assigned with too many or too few responsibilities.
2. It keeps everybody on the same page on who is accountable for a particular task.
3. Keeps all the necessary people in the loop and reduces miscommunications.
4. It helps you develop a simple communication system to keep those in the “I” category informed (through email or IM), while involving only those in the “C” categories for meetings and interactive communication. This saves everybody’s time.

How to make the RACI work better?

1. Make sure that every task has at least one person assigned for “R” and “A” roles. In some cases both the roles might be taken by the same person (if the task is simple and non-critical).
2. Make sure that every task has only one person assigned as “A”. Though responsibilities can be shared, accountabilities have to be fixed to a single person.
3. If there are too many people in the “C” category, figure out if all of them need to be in the loop. Consider moving some of them to the “I” category. Also keep the “I” category to a minimum to reduce the noise in communication.

In summary, RACI matrix is a great project management tool that greatly improves the communication within the team and helps getting the tasks done faster. If used right it would reduce the amount of email noise (getting emails for tasks that you don’t need to be informed of) and helps the whole team to stay productive.

KnowMyTeam – RACI Matrix App for iPad

KnowMyTeam takes your management skills to the next level. Define, delegate and communicate the responsibilities of your team with a RACI Matrix straight from your iPad, and take control of what your team is doing. Let your team know exactly what their responsibilities are in a clear, proven format that everyone will understand.

Book Suggestion

Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile, Extreme

• RACI Matrix: Section #I, Chapter #2

We Reviewed this Book | Buy this Book on Amazon

RACI explained its simple yet powerful

RACI is an acronym for Responsible Accountable Consult and Inform. It is a great way to sort out roles and responsibilities in an organization. We Reviewed this RACI Youtube Channel.

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As great as today’s learning management system programs are, you have to actually be aware of how to use such a program if your business or other entity is to be successful. You have to make sure you are using an interface that you can easily work with and will not be all confused over. That is, the interface has to be simple, easy to analyze and adjust and sensible enough to where you can get more work done in as little time as possible when using it right.

Figure Out the Process For Adding Content

The content in your LMS is crucial to your overall success. You need to create tests and other documents that are well-detailed and aren’t all that complicated or otherwise confusing. You can always work hard with your content by using an interface that is easy to figure out and isn’t filled with complicated content that may otherwise be a challenge for you to work with.

Look for a Web-Based Choice

A web-based program is perfect for a learning management system. This allows you to utilize an interface that features a series of simple controls that can be adjusted right within your web browser. This in turn should be easy to follow and will not be too complicated or difficult. The use of a web-based choice can also help you test your LMS on the fly as you add features to it and fine-tune the settings.

A web-based option is especially perfect as it allows you to access an interface from any place with an online connection. It would be even better if it offered mobile support too so you could access your LMS from a smartphone or tablet. Of course, you would have to get a proper access code and account up on an LMS so you can actually get access to your data from another place.

How Many Apps?

The number of applications that are found within an LMS should be checked as well. Your interface should be able to support many applications like a calendar to schedule different posts and message, a document management system that will integrate any other files you have, roster programs and spreadsheet readers to help you keep tabs on students and more. The number of applications in an LMS will vary by each option but they should be designed to work like any other program that you might find on your computer.

The apps should not be overly confusing though. You have to use applications that you know are easy to figure out while being as similar to traditional apps as possible. An LMS can have many of its apps work in the same way as the traditional apps you might find on a computer. This is to keep the interfaces consistent enough to where it won’t be too tough for you to figure out what you want to do.

What About Collaboration Support?

LMS programs often have interfaces that allow you to collaborate with others on creating a system that you can use. A program should have an interface that lets you share a document in real time, take in another document and possibly even allow any changes or other adjustments you are making to be tracked in real time. This should help you to have an easier time with adjusting your files while getting feedback from other people who could help you out. You will still need to adjust the file names to keep them separate from one another and less likely to mix with one another although an LMS should give you enough support for that part of the program.

Your content for your learning management system should be reviewed carefully and with enough control to ensure that you’ve got a great program running. You must get your learning management system run with an interface that is not far too complicated or difficult if you want to make it run right.

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What Superpower Do You Wish You Have as a Project Manager?
By Kiron D. Bondale
Project managers are often asked to perform miracles, so they can be forgiven for occasionally wishing for magical powers to be able to bend or break the laws of the Universe. After all, that’s what sponsors must believe them capable of doing […]

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Legendary leaders like Gandhi, George Washington, and Bill Gates moved masses of people. And many books have been written about how they did so with strong leadership qualities. However, in today’s fast-paced world, being a great leader is even more challenging. You have to think fast, and act faster. There’s little room for mistake.

At Mavenlink, we work with innovative leaders every day. We’ve noticed some common qualities about them — mainly that they rarely make the most costly mistakes more than once.

Here are the five most common mistakes great leaders avoid, and how you can too.

Mistake #1:  You Hire (or Promote) the Wrong Person

How bad could he or she be?

Really bad, it turns out.

A 2012 CareerBuilder survey estimates that bad hires could cost companies as much as $50,000 per year.

Ouch. That’s a lot of money. That’s potentially enough to hire two people for the same job and hope at least one of them turns out well.

You can’t hire multiple people, though (probably). You can avoid the common mistakes that lead to a bad hire, however. There are four common reasons for making hiring mistakes:

1. Trying to fill a job quickly
2. Not understanding the skills a role truly requires
3. Looking for talent in the wrong places (e.g., internally, on the wrong sites)
4. Failure to check a candidate’s references

If you hire from the outside, you’ll know the person’s skills and work history, but you might not know his or her cultural fit. Moreover, sometimes the person you interview is different — much different — than the person you hire. The person who greets you in the interview might wind up being different with how he or she works with the team and company in person. So you want to include cultural questions to the point you feel confident in a person’s true persona.

If you hire or promote from the inside, by contrast, you’ll know the person’s cultural fit and performance history in and out. What you might not know is whether or not he or she is right for this new role — and if there is someone better outside your door (figuratively).

Signs you’ve hired the wrong person include this person having attendance issues, making constant mistakes, complaining regularly, and behaving with insubordination.

Mistake #2:  You Throw Someone Under the Bus

Getting thrown under the bus hurts the reputation of the both person doing the deed and the person getting thrown under.

We get it: The urge to blame someone for a true mistake can feel strong, especially if your own reputation is on the line. But doing so will hurt your reputation more than protect it. Trust in your leadership can be eroded instantly when you throw someone under the bus.

The other repercussion to think about is the person you threw under. Chances are this individual has his or her own network. When you foster ill will between yourself and another individual, you risk word spreading that you’re not a great leader to work with or for.

Great leaders do the opposite, in fact. They protect those who report to them. They often bring out the best in their team by encouraging risks and using positive reinforcement to correct errors. They lead by example, actively admitting fault, bringing up solutions along with problems, and seizing opportunities to recognize individuals for times when they took initiative.

Mistake #3: You Send an Angry Email

In “The Lost Art of the Unsent Angry Letter,” The New York Times describes how Abraham Lincoln used to write angry letters. Lincoln called these “hot” letters. Remarkably, even honest Abe could get honestly peeved at the people he trusted.

Even more remarkable than that? Well, that’s that Lincoln wouldn’t send his hot letters. He would write them, cool off, and send a different letter that was more tame, emotionally speaking. Granted, it was admittedly harder to send a hot letter back during Lincoln’s days. Hitting send meant giving the letter to someone, possibly on a horse, for special delivery. But Lincoln realized the importance of sending only polished letters, stripped of angry language. He understood the power of positive language. Great leaders do.

And by the way, it’s not just words any more that define your tone. Click here to read about seven science-backed reasons to use emoticons when you write.

Mistake #4: You Try to Do Everything Yourself

It’s important to delineate tasks. Fast Company, and basically every great leader, said so. We’ll quote Fast Company, though, because they came up with a great analogy about why leaders should delineate tasks:

“Even LeBron James couldn’t beat a five-person NBA team all by himself.”

That’s right. Every great leader needs a great team behind him or her. You can’t play every position yourself. That’s why hiring the right people is so important. Getting the right group of specialists and team players working toward your vision is critical to your success. For more on hiring the right talent at the right time, check out this article on forecasting, hiring, and contracting.

Yes, you could do everything yourself. But is that the best use of your time?

Mistake #5: You Pretend to Listen

The best leaders listen to the experts around them. They find early adopters, influencers, and other visionaries who have big ideas on the future of the economy. Then they listen to them. Really listen.

Stephen Covey writes in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People that leaders should seek first to understand. And only then, should they try to be understood (by speaking up). A leader listens more than he speaks.

Plenty of leaders ignore great advice, insight, and ideas happening all around them. If you find yourself talking a lot, stop and listen. Really listen. You’ll be surprised at how much you learn.

To learn more about how Mavenlink can help you lead your team to even greater success, please visit our listing of tools for project managers.

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The Great Delivery Debate
By Chris Moody
Dr. Winston Royce first described a model for working with large software systems in 1970, which we’ve grown to know as “Waterfall”. Interestingly enough what many never read in his writings on software development, is the following quote: “I believe in this concept, but the implementation described above is risky […]

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Getting Started with Project Scoring
By Lindsey Marymont
Scoring projects is an easy way to identify high value projects and push them to the front of the line, keeping your organization working on the highest priority initiatives at all times. But you might be surprised at how little of organizations are actually doing it in practice. In […]

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5 Things that a CIO Should Never Accept in the IT Department
By Jim Anderson
CIOs need to make sure that their IT department is a smoothly running machine. There are many different things that they can do in order to make sure that this happens. Hiring the right employees is a great way to start. Taking […]

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Enhance Strategy Execution by Making Better Decisions
By Richard Lepsinger
We’ve all made a bad decision.
Everyone is subject to biases that impact our judgment and cause us to make mistakes. A recent study recent found that Major League Baseball umpires demonstrated biases and frequently made errors when determining whether a pitch that is not swung at is […]

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I Want to Use Agile, but My Organization Doesn’t Want To
By Chris Moody
Fear not agile warrior, you are not alone and help is on the way. They are many situations where someone just knows that agile could help or even change the face of the entire company if utilized…yet someone or many people within an […]

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Stress and anxiety at certain amounts is normally experienced by most adults, whether at work or at home. Some pressure at work can be motivating, challenging people to come up with innovative solutions and great ideas. However, when it becomes excessive, it eventually leads to work-related stress. When this stress leads to persistent, excessive and irrational anxiety, it can start to interfere with everyday functioning.

Perhaps a new job, new responsibilities, a big and important project, or anything that is outside your comfort zone is now affecting not only your professional but also your personal life. The good news is that a few simple changes can help people gain more control of their work life.

1. Reconfigure Your Morning

From the very start, create an intentional ritual that helps you get your mind and body running to a ready and most desirable state. However, people should transition to it moderately. Using a smart phone for an alarm clock can tempt you to also check your inbox while still in bed, and that is a recipe for anxiety. It is better to use a plain, vintage alarm clock to wake you up for that morning jog or quick yoga. Or you can ease into the day with a few minutes of visualization or meditation, and then prepare a healthy breakfast or a nutritious smoothie.

2. Control What You Can

Organizing and controlling small things can empower people to some degree. Instead of feeling totally helpless and overwhelmed, you can use best practices such as prioritizing work that is important. Check your email inbox only at set times of the day. Project management software provides many productivity features for managing tasks, communication, schedule, time and expenses, all resulting to a more efficient use of time and resources. Keeping your desk as well as your desktop clutter-free can also help calm the mind.

3. Take Small Breaks

Try to log off and rest your eyes from the computer every 1.5 to 2 hours. Working straight for a long stretch of time is counter-productive, as efficiency goes down when the mind and body becomes fatigued. It is advisable to stand up and take a little walk, with a change of scenery doing good for the senses, the mind, and circulation in the body. A study showed that walking in a greener, more natural environment for a few minutes can help people solve problems they might not otherwise be able to just staying at their desk or cubicle.

4. Sweat It Out

When involved in a big and urgent project, it might seem at first a good idea to spend extra hours on some of the tasks. However, spending time for exercise and other physical activities will result in greater good, because exercise lowers levels of anxiety, depression and stress. It was discovered that raising one’s heart rate through exercise reverses damage to the brain from stressful events, events that make people forgetful. On the other hand, exercise improves cognitive function and learning, making people smarter.

5. Choose Healthy Food and Drinks

Some people rely on energy boost from caffeine or sugary foods to start or sustain their work day. However, the effects are only temporary and short-term. It is better to try healthier, balanced foods for a longer and more permanent effect. For instance, herbal teas and infusions provide more than just caffeine, but also antioxidants and nutrients that can strengthen the immune system. Fruits and nuts are better snacks than sugary processed foods, as they also contain vitamins and minerals, not just calories. Healthy foods and drinks can also help you fall asleep faster and deeper, so that you will feel energized when you wake up, even without the help of caffeine.

6. Find Your Breath

It was discovered that the more people are anxious, the more shallow their breathing are. Making conscious changes to the body can create change to the mind, so by learning to breathe more slowly and more deeply from the belly, you can reduce your anxiety. It is important most of all to be aware of how you are breathing, so that when you find yourself breathing fast and shallow, like when reading a frustrating email, having a stressful meeting, or during a tiring commute, you can use simple breathing techniques that will immediately calm your mind. Breathing meditations can even help people with insomnia to fall asleep.

Conclusion

A study indicated that about 7 out of 10 adults experience work stress and anxiety on a daily basis, interfering with their normal lives at a moderate level. Thus, looking at a bigger picture, most people are having the same problems. For those who feel they are experiencing it at a greater level, they need to know that they do not have to go through it and overcome it all by themselves. It is also important to keep one’s job in perspective. Stress and anxiety have direct impact on one’s health and personal relationships. Getting stressed out and upset on some job matters may not be worth it on a grander scheme of things.

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