Beyond the Boxes: Rethinking the RACI Matrix Through a PMO Lens
Shabana Chowdhury Ali, Thought Leader in Strategic Communications, 25 June 2025
“Who owns this?”
Five people looked up.
Five different answers.
That single question has probably caused more chaos in project meetings than missed deadlines ever have.
Years ago, during one such tense review, my mentor leaned over and said, “Let’s RACI this out.”
At the time, I thought it was just another acronym: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed. One more process artifact in a PM’s toolkit.
But as I grew in the professional world, I realized RACI isn’t really about structure. It’s about human behavior, trust, and clarity. And that’s where most teams get it wrong.
The Beauty and the Blind Spot
The RACI matrix is elegant in its simplicity. It defines who does the work, who owns the outcome, who advises, and who stays informed.
But here’s the paradox:
The more mechanically we use it, the less useful it becomes.
Too often, RACIs are created just to “tick the box.” Roles are filled in hastily, overlaps ignored, and the “Consulted” and “Informed” columns become dumping grounds. On paper, everyone’s aligned. In reality, assumptions reign.
The matrix itself isn’t flawed, but our conversations around it are.
A Tale of Two Accountables
One project still stands out vividly in my mind.
A global business transformation project. Two brilliant leads. Both marked as Accountable for a critical deliverable.
Perfect, right?
Except… it wasn’t.
Each thought the other was handling certain decisions. Communication broke down. Deadlines slipped.
In the post-mortem, one of them said,
“We were both accountable but we never decided what that meant.”
That sentence stuck with me. Because RACI doesn’t fail when it’s unclear- it fails when it’s unspoken.
The Missing “C”: Conversations
- What does “Accountable” mean here — authority or responsibility?
- When should “Consulted” be engaged?
- What do the “Informed” actually need to know?
What Your RACI Says About You
Here’s an unconventional take — your RACI matrix is a reflection of your culture.
- If everyone wants to be Accountable → You may have a control-driven culture.
- If the Consulted column overflows → There may be a trust gap.
- If Informed lists are massive → Communication may be performative, not purposeful.
We once analyzed RACIs across different projects. Teams with leaner, clearer distinctions between roles had faster decisions and fewer conflicts.
The insight was simple: RACI defines structure, but it also diagnoses culture.
The PMO Evolution: RACI 2.0
Here’s what changed:
- Start with purpose, not people.
- Before naming names, clarify why each role exists. Intent matters more than assignment.
- Co-create, don’t dictate.
- The best RACI charts are built in workshops- through open dialogue and negotiation.
- Validate with real scenarios.
- “Who takes a call, if it gets stuck or escalated?”
- Map to outcomes, not activities.
- Replace “Who updates the dashboard?” with “Who ensures data quality?” That one shift changes accountability from output to impact.
- Empathize with your ‘Informed.’
- If the update doesn’t help them do their job, it’s noise. Information should empower, not overload.
The Human Side of RACI
Behind every letter lies a behavior:
- Responsible → Taking initiative.
- Accountable → Owning the outcome.
- Consulted → Sharing wisdom.
- Informed → Staying aligned.
When those behaviors are grounded in trust, RACI becomes a map of relationships, not just roles.
What if we started viewing RACI as a relationship model, not a responsibility chart?
You notice that, suddenly, “Accountable” is about empowerment, not control.
“Consulted” becomes collaboration, not bureaucracy.
And “Informed” becomes inclusion, not obligation.
Food for Thought
Here’s a question I often ask teams:
“If your RACI reflected how your team actually feels, not just how it functions, what would it look like?”
Would accountability shift? Would consultation shrink? Would communication simplify?
That reflection often says more about a team’s health than any dashboard ever could.
In the End
The RACI matrix remains one of the simplest and most underappreciated tools in the PMO’s arsenal.
Its true power doesn’t lie in its grid, but in the conversations, clarity, and confidence it creates.
Projects don’t succeed because everyone knows their box.
They succeed because everyone knows their place in the bigger picture, and takes ownership of it.
That’s the kind of alignment no chart can capture, but every PMO can nurture.
Disclaimer: The stories and opinions shared here are meant to inform and inspire. They reflect individual experiences and viewpoints, not necessarily those of VCreaTek. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, VCreaTek is not responsible for any errors or outcomes arising from the use of this information.