| Responsibility Grid - A useful tool to help the project | | | | potential conflict and confusion regarding |
| team sort out "who will do what" in terms of decision | | | | decision-making authority. |
| making. Based on the theory that not all constituents | | | | Timing: |
| have the same vested interest in the decisions the | | | | Probably most useful when the team has done |
| team will make, it can help the team identify the areas | | | | enough work on need, vision and mobilizing |
| where they need to be "politically" sensitive to the | | | | commitment to yield a detailed action plan. Also, |
| needs and desires of various groups and individuals as | | | | obviously useful useful when the team has arrived at a |
| they relate to activities (execution), decisions and | | | | major decision point. |
| milestones of the project. | | | | Tips: |
| Uses: | | | | - Don't be afraid to modify this grid to suit the needs of |
| Project teams who have used this tool have found it | | | | the team. It could help sort out who will do what with |
| very useful in sorting out who will do what with | | | | regard to and action plan (names along the horizontal, |
| respect to overall action plan for the project, rather | | | | actions along the vertical) or who will play what role |
| than in the more traditional way of identifying who | | | | (names along the horizontal, tasks or activities along |
| needs to be "in the loop" with regard to decision | | | | the vertical) with each task charted: |
| making. | | | | P = Perform, A = Approve, R = Review, etc... |
| Steps: | | | | - When the team's work on this involves other key |
| 1. Team members decide how they want to use the | | | | stakeholders, it probably makes sense to involve them |
| grid (eg: including key stakeholders or just the team | | | | in the development of the grid rather than simply |
| members). | | | | informing them of the team's work after the fact. |
| 2. They then work as a team to complete the grid, | | | | - Used in its traditional format (In decision making), this |
| remembering to do the first draft "in pencil" so as to | | | | can be a useful tool for helping the team identify ways |
| minimize win/loss conflicts. | | | | they need to be more or less responsible for key |
| 3. A communication plan is then produced to ensure | | | | decisions along the way. For example, it might reveal |
| that all affected parties are informed of the team's | | | | that the team does not currently have the decision |
| view of the project plan as represented in this grid. | | | | making authority it needs to move the project along |
| OPTION: Some teams may wish to employ a more | | | | swiftly or, conversely, does not have sufficient |
| traditional project planning process (PERT, Critical Path, | | | | involvement from others in decisions that will ultimately |
| Program Management, etc.) for the overall project plan | | | | affect the team. |
| and use this grid to only address key areas of | | | | |