The Project Roadmap® from www.gpm-ipma.de includes the Company and Project Organization and matrix of responsibilities! Do you know how to create the responsibility matrix?
Creating the responsibility matrix, which allows you to describe the role of project team members in the project, is possible only with the presence of the two structures - organizational (OBS) and project tasks (WBS).
Let's make the responsibility matrix for the joke project Cooking scrambled eggs (by a child at home).
In this example, we will use the following tasks on the 2nd level for the 1st level task - Cooking scrambled eggs.
1. Cooking scrambled eggs (by a child at home):
1.1.Check products availability
1.2.Purchase of products
1.3.Checking dishes
1.4.Providing "heat" for frying
1.5.Frying scrambled eggs
1.6.Ensuring safety and cleanliness
As mentioned earlier, two structures are needed to develop a responsibility matrix, so we indicate the organizational structure (OBS) for our example - these are:
1. Father
1. Mother
1.1.Child
2. Neighbours
3. Store Cashier
Let's create the table of the responsibility matrix for the tasks on the 2nd level and specify roles in the RACID format (see the article RACI responsibility matrix) for each member of the project team:
| The name of the tasks on the 2nd level of decomposition | Father | Mother | Child | Neighbours | Store Cashier |
| 1.1. Check products availability | I, C | I, C | A | ||
| 1.2. Purchase of products | I, D | I | A | ||
| 1.3. Checking dishes | I | I | A | ||
| 1.4. Providing "heat" for frying | A | ||||
| 1.5. Frying scrambled eggs | C | A | |||
| 1.6. Ensuring safety and cleanliness | A |
Let’s decipher how to interpret each role in each task and for each member of the project team.
| The name of the tasks on the 2nd level of decomposition | Role interpretation |
| 1.1. Check product availability | A - child: responsible for the organization and result; I, C - father and mother: I - receive information from the child about the decision or results of the inspection, C - provide advice on the process of how to check |
| 1.2. Purchase of products | A - child: responsible for the organization and result of the purchase; I - father and mother: I - receive information from the child about the decision or results of the purchase; D - father: task owner, the person who earns money |
| 1.3. Checking dishes | A - child: responsible for the organization and result of the verification; I - father and mother: receive information from the child about the decision or results of the verification |
| 1.4. Providing "heat" for frying | A - child: responsible for the organization and result of the process of providing "heat" |
| 1.5. Frying scrambled eggs | A - child: responsible for the organization and result of the process of frying scrambled eggs; C - mother: provides tips on the process of how to fry scrambled eggs |
| 1.6. Ensuring safety and cleanliness | A - child: responsible for the organization and result of the process of ensuring safety and cleanliness |
Let's create the table of the responsibility matrix for the tasks on the 3d level for the task 1.1.Check products availability and specify the roles of each member of the project team:
| The name of the tasks of the 2nd and 3rd levels of decomposition | Father | Mother | Child | Neighbours | Store Cashier |
| 1.1. Check products availability | I, C | I, C | A | ||
| 1.1.1. Find eggs | A | ||||
| 1.1.2. Find fats | C | C | R | ||
| 1.1.3. Find salt | C | C | R | ||
| 1.1.4. Find additional products | A |
Why are different roles, A and R, used for tasks at the same level of decomposition for the child?
The critical difference in responsibility for organizing and executing the task is that A has the ability to delegate the execution, which is not in R.
| Roles of RACID | Organise and delegate the execution | Execution (doing) |
| Accountable - a person responsible for the organization (PDCA cycle = Plan - Delegate - Check - Adjustment) and the result of the task | YES | NO |
| Responsible - a person who executes and is responsible for the execution (doing) of the task | NO | YES |
The presence of role A indicates that the task has lower levels of decomposition, whereas role R will be indicated. Let’s show the 4th level of decomposition for tasks under 1.1.Check products availability and specify the roles of each member of the project team:
| The name of the tasks of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th levels of decomposition | Father | Mother | Child | Neighbours | Store Cashier |
| 1.1. Check products availability | I, C | I, C | A | ||
| 1.1.1. Find eggs | A | ||||
| 1.1.1.1. Check sufficient quantity | I | I | R | ||
| 1.1.1.2. Check quality (not rotten) | C | C | R | ||
| 1.1.1.3. Clarify (chicken, duck, goose) | C | C | R | ||
| 1.1.2. Find fats | C | C | R | ||
| 1.1.3. Find salt | C | C | R | ||
| 1.1.4.Find additional products | A | ||||
| 1.1.4.1. Find cheese | C | C | R | ||
| 1.1.4.2. Find ham | C | C | R |
Thus, role A indicates that the person in the organizational structure is responsible for the organization (PDCA cycle = Plan – Delegate – Check – Adjustment) and the decomposition of the task. In this example, the PDCA cycle should be made by the child. Such children are considered adults, independent, empowered, and responsible for their actions.
Let's create the table of the responsibility matrix for the task on the 3d level for 1.2. Purchase of products and specify the roles of each member of the project team:
| The name of the business process of the 2nd and 3rd levels of decomposition | Father | Mother | Child | Neighbours | Store Cashier |
| 1.2. Purchase of products | I,D | I | A | ||
| 1.2.1. Check the availability of money | C | C | R | ||
| 1.2.2. Request money in debt | R | R | I, C | ||
| 1.2.3. Go to the store | R | ||||
| 1.2.4. Select products | C | C | R | ||
| 1.2.5. Pay for products at the checkout | I | I | R | R | |
| 1.2.6. Bring groceries home | R |
Why is the role R used simultaneously for two project team members, and how to understand it?
In this example, the task is simple, understood by all participants equally, and involves the transfer of money from the child and their reception by the Store Cashier; therefore, the role of R is used simultaneously for two participants in the task.
If ambiguity arises in such situations, I recommend decomposing the task and specifying a separate role of R, for example:
Be careful with the Informed role and use it sparingly, as this often leads to a large flow of information that a project team member may need help to handle. There are thousands of unread emails and messages in the messenger. I recommend using the Need-to-know basis rule: you tell [people] the facts they need to know, at the time they need to know them, and nothing more. Google uses this rule in its work.
Linear, functional, and project subordination in the responsibility matrix
The line manager is determined according to the Company's organizational structure.
The functional manager is determined according to the order of the CEO and is displayed in the accounting system on the employee's card in the appropriate field called "Functional Manager."
The project manager is determined by the Project Charter and/or the order of the line manager on the appointment of an employee to the project, is displayed in the accounting system in the employee card in the appropriate field called "Project Manager" and the organizational structure of the project.
The linear/project manager and functional manager will have different levels of authority and responsibility in the RACID matrix (see the article RACI responsibility matrix).
| Roles of RACID | Linear / Project Manager | Functional manager |
| Responsible | Responsible for the day-to-day operation of his/her unit/project, ensuring that tasks are completed on time and in accordance with required standards/deadlines | Responsible for providing guidance and support within their area of expertise, such as finance or marketing |
| Accountable | Responsible for the overall performance and results of their unit/project, as well as any questions or issues that arise | Usually not responsible for the overall effectiveness of the unit/project because it does not have direct authority over the staff of that unit/project. However, it is responsible for ensuring that best practices and standards in its field of expertise are followed |
| Consulted | Responsible for advising on decisions related to his/her unit/project and his/her input will be taken into account before any decisions are taken | He will be consulted on decisions relating to his area of competence and his contribution will be taken into account before any decisions are taken |
| Informed | Informed of any decisions or changes related to their unit / project | Informed of any decisions or changes that concern their area of competence |
| Decide | Solutions within your business unit / project | Solving a broader functional or strategic issue that concerns several departments/projects |
To summarise, the line/project manager has more direct authority and responsibility for their unit/project. In contrast, the functional manager provides guidance and support within their expertise but has no direct authority over the unit's employees. Both executives will be consulted on decisions relating to their respective areas, and both will be informed of any decisions or changes that affect their areas of responsibility.
SDTEST® allows you to determine in project managers the makings of a blue behavior model that is most appropriate to create the responsibility matrix. The higher the percentage in blue due to the SDTEST®, the more naturally the model of this person's behavior corresponds to the requirements to create the responsibility matrix.
