How to Build a RACI Matrix for ITIL

Emiliano Pardo Saguier April 12, 2022

- 9 min read
Management is also often about accountability. Well, let’s scratch that,
it’s always about accountability. And when it comes to IT Service
Management (ITSM), that accountability goes double, because we’re dealing with
processes that cover your entire organizational structure.

That’s when the RACI matrix comes in, an acronym that’s so fundamental that it’s
covered by the ITIL Foundation Exam. Today, we’ll learn all about it, and why it can
help with service design.

Accountability and responsibility are two big buzzwords that everyone appears to be
fond of using. Yet, it seems that when it comes to designing ways to actually deliver
on those, people come up short for answers. In truth, even the most well-developed
organizations often have trouble delineating who is responsible for what. Just
finding out who is a service owner can seem like a Herculean task.

Now, of course, you don’t want to let this happen to you under any circumstance. And
that’s why you’re going to have to become a RACI matrix expert. In short, this means
that you will have to document most of what you do in some way, shape, or form,
and it’s all going to have to be within the template provided by this very matrix.

But don’t worry, once you get the hang of it, it becomes easier than you think. You’ll
become great at putting everyone within their designated ITIL role, and keeping them
coloring between the lines as much as possible.

Let’s take a look below, and hopefully, that’ll help make things clearer.

What is a RACI matrix?

RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. The RACI
matrix, therefore, outlines the “proper” way to design service management and ITSM.
And it does this within the best practices outlined by ITIL.
How does it achieve this goal? By providing a clear line of accountability and
responsibility within ITSM, meaning: knowing who does what, takes care of what, and
is responsible for what. No more “Hey, I thought it was John or Jane that was taking
care of that, my bad!”

The ITIL RACI Matrix is all about documenting the information that is required
for due diligence within your organization. Meaning that the right hand
should always know what the left is doing, and vice-versa.

1. Responsible means the person who is in charge of getting a certain

task done.
2. Accountable means that only that person takes the heat or glory for
how well that task is completed. It’s their baby, and theirs alone.
3. Consulted entails the people whose opinions will be requested and
sought. They provide input, knowledge, and information. They’re the
ones who help steer things towards ultimate success.
4. Informed is about the hierarchical structure — the people who are
kept in the loop regarding progress. These are the people the process
owner will be reporting information about process quality and
execution to.

But isn’t your organization already awesome at the whole ITIL process map? Is your
IT staff already an old hand at all the ins and outs of service management?

Well, tough luck, because it’s very likely that whatever they’re doing, they can do
much better if they stick to the simple guidelines of the RACI matrix. And this brings
us squarely to our next topic.

Why use the RACI matrix at all?

The RACI matrix is already in the service operation part of ITIL. Therefore, if your
organization is already ITIL compliant, it shouldn’t be much of a stretch to say that
you’re already implementing it in some form.

Or are you? Because it also wouldn’t be a stretch to say that many organizations—
sometimes through no real fault of their own—have a very low level of maturity in ITIL.
Compound that with the fact that everyone seems to be using their own organizational
lingo and terminology, and you’ve got yourself a real Tower of Babel scenario on your
hands.

Therefore, the RACI matrix is the perfect solution for achieving clarity. It means
that every job role is mapped out consistently. And also it means that you know who
does what because instead of relying on name tags, you’re relying on assigned job
roles that clearly spell out what everyone does and the range of their professional
capabilities and responsibilities.

Yet, operating within this framework isn’t as cut-and-dried as it sounds either. If you
ask two people in your IT department what they do, there will inevitably be overlaps
and inconsistencies. In addition, people might find it bothersome to be prodded and
asked about responsibility and accountability like they’re being accused of
something.

But it’s not all as bleak as it sounds. If you educate them on the importance of the
RACI model and its many benefits for efficiency, the quality-of-life improvements that
it provides, then the picture can slowly change for the better. After all, it’s not that
people don’t want to comply, but rather don’t tend to get on board with things they
don’t understand.

It can also mean:

 Taking away responsibility from people who want it, and vice-versa.
 Having tough talks about task ownership.
 Removing the control of some tasks from people who think they
should have it.

But in the end, it’s worth it because it eliminates confusion, and that’s a noble goal in
and of itself.

The RACI matrix and ITSM

In our definitive guide to ITSM, we borrowed a handy definition from the ITIL 2011
glossary:

“The implementation and management of quality IT services that meet the needs of
the business. IT service management is performed by IT service providers through an
appropriate mix of people, process, and information technology.”

With the shifting focus in the new 2019 ITIL version to service management rather
than “simple” ITSM, things have evolved. And nothing spells service management
more than the simple acronym of the RACI matrix.
The idea is to provide what’s called an “authority matrix,” which is used within
organizations to provide a clear framework for who does what. It helps outline clear
roles, processes, tasks, and boundaries. Therefore, it comprises an agile, and
concise method of assigning and tracking each project task within the RACI
model. Of course, the crux of the matter is also being able to see