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RACI Matrix
What Who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed across every phase and process.
How to read R = does the work, A = owns the outcome, C = consulted, I = kept informed.

Summary

This is the single consolidated view of accountability. For each phase, one role is Accountable (the single owner of the outcome), one or more are Responsible (do the work), others are Consulted (give input) or Informed (kept in the loop). Where a phase page and this matrix ever seem to differ, the phase page wins and this matrix should be corrected.

Full detail

Legend: R Responsible, A Accountable, C Consulted, I Informed.

Phase / Process Product PM Engineering QA DevOps Support Leadership
Backlog & Grooming A/R R C C I
Planning & Estimation C A/R R R C I
Branching & Version Control I A/R C
Development & Code Review C I A/R C
Test Case Design & ITCR C I C A/R C
Build & QA Freeze I C A/R C R I I
QA & Testing C I C A/R C I
Defect Handling I R A/R
Tagging & Deployment I C A/R C R C C
Release Close-out I A/R R I C I I
Hotfix C C A/R R R C C
Post-Production Monitoring C A/R R C A
Production Support I C R C A/R I
Issue Triage & Root Cause R A R C C
Agile Ceremonies C A/R R R C I
Monthly Retrospective C A/R R C C C C
Escaped Defects Analysis I R R R C C A

Notes on a few deliberate choices

  • Post-Production Monitoring has two accountabilities: each platform engineer is accountable for their platform's watch, and Leadership (the Manager) is separately accountable for the daily dashboard review and for the SOP being followed.
  • Escaped Defects Analysis is facilitated by the PM but Leadership is accountable, because the allowances, penalties, and their link to promotion and salary sit with Leadership.
  • Product is Accountable for the backlog itself; the PM is Accountable for the planning and ceremony process around it.
  • Test Case Design & ITCR is owned by QA (Accountable and Responsible), but Development's approval of the test cases is required to exit the phase. Engineering is marked Consulted because accountability for the test plan stays with QA; the developer approval is a required input, not ownership.
  • Issue Triage & Root Cause splits its work: Engineering establishes the root cause and the Product Owner documents and prioritizes the ticket, while the PM is Accountable for ensuring the SOP is followed so no reported issue is dropped. Leadership (the engineering manager) is Consulted only when the developer cannot settle the cause, the solution, or the estimate alone.