Review the RACI when scope or team changes
A RACI built at kickoff and never updated is out of date the moment the first change happens.
Why it works
Scope changes, personnel changes, and milestone completions all invalidate parts of the original RACI. If the matrix isn’t updated, decisions are made by people who no longer have authority, people who should be consulted aren’t told, and accountability falls into gaps. Regular RACI reviews keep the accountability structure current with the actual state of the project.
How to do it
- Schedule a RACI review at each major milestone or whenever a significant scope or personnel change happens.
- Ask: "Have any A’s changed? Are there new decisions that aren’t in the matrix? Has anyone’s C become an I or vice versa?"
- Update and redistribute the revised matrix; treat an outdated RACI as a project risk.
Evidence
Adaptive project management research shows that role clarity must be maintained dynamically, not just established at the start. Static assignment in a changing environment produces accountability gaps as roles evolve without explicit redesign. (mechanistic)
This practice is based on project management best practice logic rather than a specific empirical study of RACI review frequency and project outcomes.
Common mistake
Treating the RACI as a one-time deliverable for the kickoff document rather than as a living governance tool that needs maintenance.
Practice this with IX Coach
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More practices for The RACI Matrix, Made Practical
- Assign exactly one Accountable per decision
Every decision or deliverable must have exactly one A — not zero, not two.
- Separate the doer (R) from the owner (A)
The person who does the work is often not the person who owns the outcome — make this explicit.
- Limit Consulted to people whose input genuinely changes the decision
Every C is a two-way conversation that costs time; over-consulting is as dangerous as under-consulting.
- Inform stakeholders before they ask, not after they complain
I’s are one-way — they receive information; the cost of surprising them is always higher than the cost of telling them.
- Pair the RACI with a decision log
Knowing who decides is only half the system — recording what was decided closes the accountability loop.
Related concepts
- Tuckman’s Stages of Team Development
Why every team hits turbulence — and what to do at each stage
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Made Practical
The seven habits, their real mechanisms, and an honest read on the evidence
- OKRs for People, Not Just Companies
Objectives, Key Results, cadence — the mechanism behind each move