Why Every Project Needs a RACI Table

Clarifying Roles, Reducing Confusion, and Keeping Projects on Track

In the fast-moving world of project management, one of the greatest threats to success isn’t scope creep or missed deadlines ... it’s role confusion. When team members aren't clear about who is doing what, decisions stall, tasks are duplicated (or dropped), and accountability vanishes.

That’s where a RACI Table comes in.

The RACI matrix is a simple but powerful tool for clarifying roles and responsibilities, ensuring that everyone knows where they stand on every task. It aligns beautifully with the PMBOK® Guide (7th Edition) focus on team performance domains, resource management, and stakeholder engagement.

Let’s explore what a RACI table is, why it’s essential, and what components it should include per project management best practices.

What Is a RACI Table?

RACI is an acronym that stands for:

• R – Responsible: The person or role who does the work to complete the task.

• A – Accountable: The person who is ultimately answerable for the task’s completion and success. Only one person should be accountable per task.

• C – Consulted: People who provide input, expertise, or advice during the task. Communication is two-way.

• I – Informed: Those who need to be kept in the loop. They are not decision-makers, but they need awareness. Communication is one-way.

The RACI matrix is often presented as a grid that maps tasks (usually on the left-hand column) to team members or stakeholders (across the top), with R, A, C, or I marked in the corresponding cells.

RACI and the PMBOK® Guide

The PMBOK® Guide doesn't explicitly mandate a RACI chart but strongly encourages the use of Responsibility Assignment Matrices (RAMs) to clarify roles and responsibilities. RACI is one of the most widely used and effective forms of a RAM.

Within the Project Resource Management Knowledge Area, the PMBOK recommends:

• Clearly defining team roles and responsibilities.

• Developing a responsibility assignment matrix to support collaboration and reduce overlap.

• Ensuring that project governance structures are well-communicated and documented.

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Key Components of a RACI Table

To build a practical and PMBOK-aligned RACI Table, include these essential components:

1. Task or Deliverable List

Start by identifying major project tasks, activities, or deliverables, ideally pulled from your Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). These go in the left-hand column of the matrix.

2. Project Roles or Individuals

List the names or roles of all project team members and key stakeholders across the top row. (Example: Project Manager, Developer, Client Sponsor, QA Lead.)

3. RACI Designation for Each Task

Assign R, A, C, or I in the appropriate cells. Be sure to:

• Assign only one “A” (Accountable) per task to avoid ambiguity.

• Assign at least one “R” (Responsible) to ensure the task gets done.

• Limit the number of “C” and “I” roles to avoid communication overload.

4. Legend or Definitions

Include a simple key to define each letter. This is especially helpful for non-PMP-certified stakeholders unfamiliar with the model.

5. Review and Sign-Off

Have stakeholders review the RACI matrix and confirm their roles. This aligns with PMBOK’s emphasis on stakeholder engagement and helps avoid disputes down the line.

Why Use a RACI Table?

Here’s what a well-structured RACI table can do for your project:

• Clarify expectations from the start

• Avoid duplication of work

• Streamline decision-making by identifying who’s accountable

• Improve communication and reduce unnecessary emails or meetings

• Support onboarding of new team members

• Ensure alignment across cross-functional or multi-vendor teams

Bonus: Best Practices

• Keep your RACI matrix simple and readable. One page is ideal.

• Use roles instead of names when possible to make it scalable.

• Review and update the RACI at each major phase of the project.

• Integrate your RACI into your Project Management Plan and share it with all team members.

Final Thoughts

Projects thrive when everyone knows their role. A RACI table isn’t just a checkbox on your project plan ... it’s a communication blueprint that fosters accountability, transparency, and unity.

By aligning your RACI table with PMBOK principles, you’ll ensure a strong foundation for collaboration and reduce the risk of role-based confusion that can quietly derail your project.

Whether you're managing a construction site, a nonprofit event, or a software rollout, take the time to build and maintain your RACI table and watch your team operate with more clarity and confidence.

Happy Thursday all,

-srt

P.S. Need a RACI template to get started? Let me know and I’ll share one tailored to your project type.

The Last One Out The Gate

I stood at the edge of the porch this morning, green Monster in my hands, eyes fixed on the drive that leads out the gate. The dew still clung to the fence posts, and the morning sun cast a golden light across the yard. But something was missing.

No rustle from that side of the house. The guest bathroom was still clean. Lola hadn’t been let out. Even Lil Ann wandered silently through the halls.

Just stillness.

Earlier this week, my youngest son pulled out of the driveway, headed for a life of his own beyond the gate. His brothers left in the years before but somehow, it didn’t feel quite real until now. There’s a finality in being the last one out.

For years, I was the one behind the scenes. The scheduler. The coordinator.  The road-trip mom.  The sandwich-maker (ok, food orderer). Vacation planner. The steady hands beneath it all. And now, I watch them go.

I Knew This Day Would Come

I raised them to be strong, independent, capable. Isn’t that what we want as mothers? But nothing prepared me for the silence that follows.

The kitchen table used to be the command center of chaos:  talk of the Roman Empire, weather, politics, climate, grades, romance, geology, farm animals, music, college exams, girl trouble, sports, and did I already mention the Roman Empire? Now I sit at it alone, hearing echoes in the creak of the floorboards and the hum of the fridge.

I always thought the hard part of parenting was the beginning.  I remember the sleepless nights.  The dazed mom in the morning trying to pull it all together.  The breast milk barf on my suit blazer.  Packing for a day as if we are leaving the country.  The crying at drop off that pulled my heart out of my skin. But this part? The letting go?

This part aches.  I hurt.

No Manual for the Quiet

There’s no manual for becoming an empty nester. Especially not out here, where identity and family are wrapped tightly in the rhythms of the home. His room is clean now.  In fact, the house is clean now. The laundry’s less demanding. The dishwasher is loaded, tines up.  I should feel relieved. Right?!?

But I miss the mess. I miss the mud on the floors, the dishwasher loaded wrong, the kitchen disaster from a "late night" snack, the laughter from a video game, win or lose and the face that I saw with an I love you.

This morning, I walked slowly with CaliGrl and Eire through the yard. No urgency. No chore list. Just me, CaliGrl, Eire and the farm. And I realized, I’m not just mourning the boys leaving. I’m also meeting a version of myself I haven’t seen in decades.

The woman who came before the babies. Who once chased corporate dreams, who needed to learn EVERYTHING, who believed everyday that she could maintain balance (oh, now that is funny) and achieve it all.  She learned early that leadership mattered and fought hard to become a leader people could trust. She’s still here. Just quieter now.

Somewhere Between Grief and Pride

So I’m learning to sit in this space, this stretch of land between grief and pride, between missing what was and imagining what’s next.

I still have purpose here. It’s just shifting. I may not be needed in the same way, but I am still rooted. Still strong. Still growing. Still want to possess all the knowledge (lol).  

To all the other moms out there, watching the dust settle after the last child drives away: I see you.  

I tell you, what I told myself today on my walk.  Your love built more than routines and meals. It built humans, amazing, capable, kind, ready to take on the world. And even in the quiet, you still matter.  You are still Mom and while the car may be gone from the drive, the heart of this home that you created still beats.  It always will.

Happy Thursday lovelies,

-srt

The Essential Guide to Building a Strong Project Roster

 Why Every Project Manager Needs One—and What It Must Include

In the world of project management, success doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of intentional planning, collaboration, and clarity. And at the heart of that clarity? A well-constructed Project Roster.

Whether you're leading a small internal initiative or a complex multi-stakeholder program, the project roster is one of your most essential tools. Think of it as the blueprint for “who’s doing what, when, and why.” Done well, it creates alignment, minimizes confusion, and sets the foundation for a high-performing team.

So what exactly is a project roster and what should it include? Let’s break it down.

What Is a Project Roster?

A Project Roster (sometimes referred to as a Project Team Directory) is a detailed list of everyone involved in a project. More than just names and emails, it identifies team members’ roles, responsibilities, authority levels, and contact information—helping project managers and stakeholders clearly understand the team structure.

According to the PMBOK® Guide (7th Edition), a project roster supports effective communication and collaboration. It helps in the development of team charters, communication plans, and resource assignments across all stages of the Project Life Cycle.

PMBOK®-Aligned Components of a Project Roster

While the format can vary depending on your project or organization, a robust project roster should include the following key elements, aligning with PMBOK® recommendations:

1. Full Name & Title

Clearly list every team member's name and professional title. This includes internal team members, external partners, vendors, and contractors.

2. Role in the Project

Define each person’s role—e.g., Project Manager, Business Analyst, Developer, Quality Assurance Tester, Procurement Lead. This aligns with the Resource Management Plan in PMBOK.

3. Responsibilities

What exactly is each person accountable for? This ties into the Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) and the RACI chart (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed).

4. Organizational Unit / Department

Include which department or organization they represent. This helps clarify reporting relationships and authority levels.

5. Contact Information

Include relevant contact details, email, phone, Slack/Teams handle, depending on what’s used for project communication.

6. Availability or Time Commitment

Especially useful for part-time team members or cross-functional contributors. Specify whether they’re full-time, part-time, or ad hoc.

7. Project Phase or Timeline Involvement

Some team members are only involved during specific phases. Indicate when their participation begins and ends.

8. Location and Time Zone

With today’s distributed teams, this information is crucial for scheduling meetings and deadlines effectively.

Bonus: Include Visuals

Consider supplementing your roster with a team organization chart or RACI matrix to visualize team relationships, roles, and dependencies. These tools are also recommended in PMBOK’s Resource and Communication Planning Processes.

Why It Matters

A complete project roster isn’t just a nice-to-have ... it’s a foundational document that:

• Eliminates confusion about who’s responsible for what

• Streamlines communication

• Supports onboarding for new team members

• Reinforces accountability

• Aids conflict resolution by clearly defining roles and boundaries

Final Thoughts

Building a clear, complete project roster is one of the smartest moves you can make early in a project. As the PMBOK® Guide teaches, successful project managers don’t just lead—they coordinate, communicate, and clarify. A roster helps you do all three with confidence.

Whether you're just launching your project or looking to tighten your team operations, revisit your roster. Is it complete? Accurate? Aligned with your communication and resource plans?

If not, now’s the time to refine it because when everyone knows their place on the team, the whole project runs smoother.

Happy Thursday all,

-srt

P.S. Need a template? Many project management platforms like Smartsheet, MS Project, and Monday.com offer built-in team management templates, or you can build your own using Excel or Google Sheets.

Have questions about building or maintaining a project roster? Drop a comment or reach out!

You Can Do Hard Things: Behind the Scenes of Pulling Off a Major Event

There’s a quiet truth that lingers in the hearts of event planners, coordinators, and all the behind-the-scenes warriors: big things are hard. And beautiful. And exhausting. And worth it.

Planning a major event, whether it's a corporate conference, community festival, product launch, or large-scale celebration is a full-body, full-heart, all-hands-on-deck experience. From the first spark of an idea to the final round of applause, it demands more than logistics. It requires patience, flexibility, courage, and above all, belief.

The Planning: Dreaming Big (and Then Bigger)

It always starts the same way: a vision. The idea is usually ambitious and exciting and slightly terrifying. Meetings are filled with what-ifs, bold concepts, mood boards, spreadsheets, venue tours, and coffee. So much coffee.

And then the real work begins. Budgeting, timelines, vendor wrangling, last-minute changes, technology hiccups, permits, contingency plans, volunteer coordination, signage design the list is endless. For every moment that felt inspiring, there were just as many that felt overwhelming.

The Obstacles: When Things Go (Inevitably) Sideways

No major event happens without bumps in the road. Equipment fails. People cancel. Weather doesn’t cooperate. A key vendor runs late. There are moments you want to scream or cry (sometimes both).

There’s that pit-in-your-stomach feeling at 3 AM when you remember something critical that was almost missed. The panic of a backup plan needing a backup plan. The group texts flying at all hours. And yet you keep moving. One step at a time. One fire at a time. Because the only way out is through.

The Big Day: Show Time

Then the day arrives.

Suddenly, everything clicks into place. Lights turn on, people show up, music plays, and laughter fills the air. You look around and realize: It’s happening. What was once a scribbled idea on a notepad has come to life in front of your eyes. You catch a glimpse of someone smiling because of something you built and for a brief second, the exhaustion fades.

It’s a rush like no other. All the hustle, the stress, the late nights ... they melt into a single, surreal moment of pride. And just like that, the adrenaline carries you across the finish line.

The Afterglow: Gratitude, Reflection, and That One Powerful Reminder

When it’s all over, when the lights are down, the last chair is stacked, and the inbox is (temporarily) quiet, there’s space to breathe. And to feel proud.

Because even when it felt impossible, you did it.

You worked through the setbacks, the doubt, the sheer chaos — and came out stronger, wiser, and more resilient. It’s in these moments you remember something important:

“We can do hard things.”
— Glennon Doyle, Untamed

You’ve proven it, to your team, your attendees, your partners, but most importantly, to yourself.

So here’s to the hard things. The impossible-seeming deadlines. The moments of pure hustle. The exhaustion that ends in triumph.

And here’s to you ... for showing up, sticking with it, and delivering something incredible.

Until the next one.

Happy Thursday Lovelies,

-srt

Falling Back in Love with the Project Charter

As someone who teaches project management at the graduate level, I often find myself moving quickly through the "introductory" tools of the profession—scope statements, stakeholder registers, project charters. After all, my students are future leaders, already thinking about agile transformations, earned value management, and strategic portfolio alignment.

But recently, while revisiting core documents with my class, I found myself unexpectedly falling back in love with one of the most essential and underappreciated tools in the project manager's toolkit: the project charter.

It was The Project Management Tool Kit by Tom Kendrick (2013) that reminded me why the project charter deserves more attention—not less—at the graduate level. Kendrick doesn’t treat the charter as a checklist item or administrative requirement. He presents it as a strategic control document, one that establishes authority, aligns stakeholders, and serves as a living reference point throughout the project lifecycle. In doing so, he elevates its importance in ways I had admittedly started to overlook.

Why the Project Charter Still Matters—More Than Ever

So, what caused this renewed appreciation?

For one, I started looking at the project charter through a strategic lens rather than a procedural one. The charter is not just about initiating the project; it’s about establishing purpose, authority, and accountability. According to the PMBOK® Guide – Seventh Edition (Project Management Institute, 2021), the project charter formally authorizes a project and gives the project manager the authority to apply organizational resources. That’s foundational—especially in large or matrixed organizations where ambiguity can stall decision-making and delay progress.

Kendrick builds on this by positioning the charter as a baseline for control. When changes in scope, timeline, or budget arise (as they always do), the charter provides a reference point for evaluating whether those changes are justified. It reinforces project governance by defining who has decision-making authority and how changes should be escalated and approved.

Alignment, Not Assumption

One of the most common pitfalls I see in student projects (and in real-world consulting engagements) is misalignment of stakeholder expectations. Kendrick highlights how the charter can serve as an early and critical tool for stakeholder engagement. By clearly outlining the project's purpose, objectives, and constraints up front, the charter becomes a tool for consensus-building. It gets everyone, sponsors, team members, clients, on the same page before execution begins.

This early alignment pays dividends. A well-crafted charter reduces the risk of mid-project confusion, scope creep, or duplicated effort. It also supports stronger communication because all parties share a single source of truth for why the project exists and what success looks like.

Risks, Roles, and Responsibility

In addition to scope and objectives, the project charter captures preliminary risks, assumptions, and constraints. While this is not a substitute for a full risk management plan, Kendrick argues that acknowledging high-level risks early prepares the team for what may come and encourages proactive mitigation.

Equally important, the charter defines roles and responsibilities, clarifying who is accountable for what. In classroom teams and client-facing projects alike, I’ve found that unclear roles are often the root of frustration and inefficiency. The charter resolves that tension before it begins by making authority and responsibility explicit.

What a Strong Charter Includes

To be effective, a project charter should include the following elements (PMI, 2021; Kendrick, 2013):

• Project title and high-level description
• Business justification or strategic alignment
• Measurable project objectives
• Scope overview and major deliverables
• Assumptions, constraints, and high-level risks
• Timeline or key milestones
• Initial budget estimate
• Key stakeholders and their roles
• The name and authority of the project manager
• Sponsor authorization and sign-off

These components ensure the charter is more than a formality. It becomes a foundation for governance, communication, risk planning, and team cohesion.

Rediscovering the Basics

Teaching this material again and watching my students wrestle with the precision required to write a good charter, reminded me of something critical: mastery in project management doesn’t mean moving past the fundamentals. It means using them better. The charter is not a simple document. It is a strategic declaration. It sets the tone for disciplined execution, promotes shared understanding, and gives the project legitimacy in the eyes of the organization.

So yes, I fell back in love with the project charter. And I hope more project leaders do the same—not because it is basic, but because it is powerful.

Happy Thursday, my fellow project charter enthusiasts,
–srt

P.S.
Before I am called a heathen (or other) for suggesting a project charter is necessary for all project management methodologies, let me stop you. I believe that while not every project management methodology formally requires a project charter, most benefit from some version of it. Traditional and hybrid approaches rely on charters for authority, alignment, and governance, while agile methods often replace them with lighter-weight vision statements or product briefs. In frameworks like Lean Six Sigma, the charter is a standard tool used to define the problem and scope. Regardless of the methodology, a well-crafted charter—or its equivalent—serves a critical role in clarifying purpose, aligning stakeholders, and establishing accountability from the outset.

References
Kendrick, T. (2013). The Project Management Tool Kit: 100 Tips and Techniques for Getting the Job Done Right. AMACOM.
Project Management Institute. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition. PMI.

Not Planning to Be a Project Manager? Read This Anyway

I’m excited to be teaching Project Management again this year at William Jessup University. A few weeks ago, someone asked me a great question: “Is project management really necessary if I never plan to become a project manager?”

My answer? A resounding yes.

Let me explain. Even if you never step into a formal project management role, learning how to manage projects is one of the most valuable skillsets you can develop in your career. And I don’t mean that in some vague, “nice-to-have” kind of way. I mean that mastering the fundamentals of project management will genuinely change how you work, how you lead, and how others perceive your value.

Here’s why: no matter what field you’re entering:  healthcare, marketing, engineering, education, business, or nonprofit work your ability to plan, organize, communicate, and follow through is what drives results. That’s the heart of project management.

At some point, you’ll be the one responsible for pushing something forward. It could be a new initiative, a campaign, a policy rollout, a research study, or even just a complex task with lots of moving parts. If you don’t know how to manage a project, chances are someone else will do it for you, or worse, the project will run you instead of the other way around.

I’ve seen incredibly talented people struggle, not because they lacked intelligence or creativity—but because they didn’t know how to align timelines, manage expectations, or stay calm when things didn’t go according to plan. That’s where project management becomes a game changer.

It’s not just about charts or software tools. It’s about learning how to think clearly when things get messy. It’s about being able to communicate your ideas in a way that gets people aligned. It’s about leading even when you don’t have a formal title. And most importantly, it’s about finishing what you start.

I remind students that college is the perfect time to build this skillset. Students are already managing deadlines, group projects, research papers, and maybe even a job or family responsibilities. Every class assignment is a mini project. Every group presentation is an opportunity to practice real-world collaboration and time management.

So, if you’ve ever thought that project management is “someone else’s job,” think again. It’s not just for project managers. It’s for anyone who wants to make an impact and lead effectively in any professional environment.

Think of it as your secret weapon. The more comfortable you become with managing projects, the more doors will open and the more confident you’ll be in every challenge you take on.

Happy Thursday all,

-srt