How to optimize RACI within an Organizational Graph, Org Chart and align to organizational structure.
A Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed matrix is a perfect use case to demonstrate the visualization powers of Organizational Graphs. Below we will step you through a picture by picture example of how you might use an organizational graph to capture, visualize and execute your RACI Matrix.
First let’s get on the same page as to the proper steps to creating a solid RACI effort matrix, what is the correct order of operation.
Step 1. Determine the Ultimate Goal (Finished Project) of a Project and then determine the Milestones, the critical success factors, that need to be in place for the Ultimate Goal to Manifest.
Step 2. Surround each Milestone with a Job that is fill by a Person, who is Accountable for owning how that Milestone will be achieved. They are your Accountability units.
Step 3. Consult – Gather these Accountability Units into a Team/Meeting and get agreement on the Tasks/Results that each AU will use to acheive their Milestone.
Step 4. Next, each AU determines the Responsibility Roles that are needed to acheive each Tasks/Result and they connect this Responsibility to a Person through the person’s Role that is part of their Job.
Step 5. Once step 1-4 are completed, the AUs gather to determine the Team/Meeting structure all of the people will attend as part of their Jobs to keep the CI units Informed and Consulted.
This is the order of operations that is followed below.
Orientation: YOUR RACI BUILDING BLOCKs
SCREEN CAPTURE
Click the picture to the right and zoom in. What you will see are the building blocks of a RACI matrix. We have our project Milestones, the Tasks/Results that have to manifest along the way, the Persons and Jobs that are Accountable for each Milestone, the Meetings that are Consulted and Informed and the Roles that are Responsible for completing the Tasks, delivering the Results.
RACI MILESTONES
SCREEN CAPTURE
Again the backbone of a RACI program or matrix is a clear understanding of the Milestones that are part of a project and how the Milestones support and build on each other.
In OGraph we add Milestones, name them and then link them with the connection label “Supports” – here we have a quick look at the backbone flow of our RACI matrix.
MILESTONE ACCOUNTABILITIES
SCREEN CAPTURE
To clearly see who is accountable for a Milestone we link a Job to a Milestone with the connection: “Accountable”. This is the Job that is owned by a person that is accountable for thinking about and making ultimate descions around this Milestone. Note: Structure first, people second. To make your RACI work lasting, we do not use proper names or people we use structure terms, Jobs, Roles – once the structure is correct, we can add the right people.
MILESTONEs are mapped to TASKS / RESULTS
SCREEN CAPTURE
Following the order of operation above we determine the Task/Results that must get done for each Milestone to be cleared. We add them into our Org Graph and used the connection, “Enables” to link them.
TASKS / RESULTS CONNECTED TO RESPONSIBLE ROLES
SCREEN CAPTURE
Tasks and Results are acheived by people fulfilling their Responsibility Roles that are part of their Job. So we use the connection “Responsible For” to make this link between Role and Task / Result.
In the software we can show and hide, turn on and turn off what we want to see. In the second picture we have created the view that now shows the Milestones, their Tasks / Results and Roles that are Responsible and the Jobs that are Accountable for each Milestone.
RESPONSIBLE ROLES TO JOBS
SCREEN CAPTURE
Roles are part of a person’s Job and are connected to the Job with the connection “Function Of”. The second image shows this additional connection.
Add Teams and Meetings and we have a full RACI STRUCTURE / MATRIX
SCREEN CAPTURE
Shown here is complete and full RACI Structure / Martix.
Add people to our RACI Structure and it comes alive.
SCREEN CAPTURE
Of course we need people. Our people connect to the RACE Structure / Matrix through their Jobs.
MEETINGS / TEAMS – CONSULT AND INFORM
FIVE SCREEN CAPTURE
Built into the software are five differnt ways to look at the same thing. Top to bottom: Heirarchial, Orthogonal, Circular, Symterical and Bundle Layout.
FIVE BUILT IN VISUALIZATIONS
FIVE VISUALIZATION OPTIONS
Built into the software are five differnt ways to look at the same thing. Top to bottom: Heirarchial, Orthogonal, Circular, Symterical and Bundle Layout.
