Free template

# RACI matrix template for small teams

A RACI matrix shows, for each task, who does it, who answers for it, who gives input and who is told. For a small team it fits on one screen.

By Matt Warcholinski, co-founder of Brainhub · Updated 20 October 2026

**This is a planning tool, not a contract.** It records who is responsible for what. It does not assign ownership of code, equity or accounts in law. For that, use a [founders agreement](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/founder-agreement-template).

## What RACI stands for

- **R, Responsible:** does the work.
- **A, Accountable:** makes the final call and answers for the result. There is exactly one per task.
- **C, Consulted:** gives input before the decision.
- **I, Informed:** is told after the decision.

The same person can be both R and A. Not every cell needs a letter. An empty cell means "not involved".

## Three rules that make it work

1. **One A per row.** If two people are accountable, nobody is.
2. **At least one R per row.** Someone has to do it.
3. **Keep C and I short.** If everyone is consulted on everything, decisions slow down.

## Copy the template

[Download the CSV](https://whoownswhat.xyz/downloads/raci-matrix-template.csv) (opens in Google Sheets, Excel and Numbers). Or copy this table.

| Task or decision | Person A | Person B | Person C |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |

## Example 1: a small tech team (illustrative)

Three people building a web app. The tasks are made up for the demonstration.

| Task or decision | Dev | Product | Ops |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Write the feature | R | A | I |
| Deploy to production | R | I | A |
| Rotate an API key | C | I | A / R |
| Pay the hosting bill | I | C | A / R |
| Renew the domain | I | C | A / R |
| Decide the next feature | C | A / R | I |

Each row has one A. The Ops person answers for the money and the keys, so the bills and the domain renewal have a named owner.

## Example 2: roles and responsibilities for a team without developers (illustrative)

A volunteer team running a community project. Again, made up.

| Task or decision | Organiser | Treasurer | Communications |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Set the plan for the month | A / R | C | C |
| Approve spending | C | A / R | I |
| Publish the newsletter | C | I | A / R |
| Own the social accounts | I | I | A / R |
| Keep a backup login to each account | R | I | A |

The last row is the one most teams forget. A RACI that names an owner for each account also shows you which accounts have only one person.

## Put accounts in the matrix

Most RACI templates list tasks only. For a small project, add a row for each account: domain, repository, hosting, payments, social. Name one A for each and a second person who can recover it. The [access audit](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/access-audit) will show where only one person has full control.

## RACI or team charter?

A [team charter](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/team-charter-template) sets the rules for the whole team: who decides, how much can be spent and how you handle disagreements. A RACI assigns accountability task by task. Small teams usually need the charter first, then a RACI for the tasks that keep going wrong.

Do it with AI

## Draft your matrix from a task list

Paste your team and your tasks into Claude or ChatGPT. Do not include passwords.

```
I run a small team. Build a RACI matrix as a table.
Rules: exactly one A per row, at least one R per row, keep C and I to the people who really need them. The same person can be A and R.
Add a row for each account we use (domain, code repository, hosting, payments, social) with one A and a note for who can recover it.
After the table, list any row where one person carries too much, and any account with only one person who can recover it.
People: [NAMES AND ROLES]
Tasks and accounts: [PASTE HERE]
```

## Frequently asked questions

What is a RACI matrix?

A table that shows, for each task, who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed. It makes ownership of each task explicit.

Can one person be both R and A?

Yes. On a small team it is common. The rule is one A per task, not one person for both letters.

How many people should be on a RACI?

For a small team, three to six is fine. If the table gets too wide, split it by area, such as product, operations and money.

Is a RACI the same as a roles and responsibilities template?

They overlap. A roles and responsibilities list describes each person's job. A RACI describes who does what on each task. You can start with the roles list and turn it into a RACI.

[Record who owns what in the app](https://whoownswhat.xyz/app)

About the author

I'm **Matt Warcholinski**. I co-founded Brainhub, a software agency. I bootstrapped it from 3 to 100+ people and $8M a year, with no outside funding. Then I sold it.

Due diligence showed me how much unclear ownership of code, domains and accounts can cost a deal.

Before that I was an R&D engineer at BMW, MTU Aero Engines and GE Energy. I've been a founder for 15+ years. I host the [Better Tech Leadership podcast](https://brainhub.eu/better-tech-leadership): 100+ conversations with tech leaders running $10M+ companies.

I wrote these guides because I wish I'd had them when I split access, equity and assets with partners. Find me on [X](https://x.com/mwarcholinski).

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Source: https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/raci-matrix-template
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