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Responsibility Charting

By Burt Cohen

I believe that there are project management tools that are consistent with action inquiry approaches. A good example is Responsibility Charting. This tool can be used in a very interactive and participatory way to engage a group of stakeholders who all have some connection to a common set of tasks or decisions that must be made in carrying out a 'project'. The process is used to compare how different stakeholders currently perceive their roles, to identify discrepancies, and then to reach consensus on how decisions ought to be made. It can be quite a good design activity, and in
the end produces a clear picture of the interrelated roles and relationships that must be managed to accomplish the project. It usually produces a lot of learning for the participants as well.

As with many management tools, the important thing is how it is utilized. It can be used in a bureaucratic manner that precludes participation, or in an interactive way that encourages exploration and action learning.

Source: Contribution to Arlist by Burt Cohen. 

Sample Chart

Distribute this chart to all members in your participatory group. Enter tasks in the left column, then have team members mark who they think is responsible for each task. Discuss the answers as a group, and make final decisions regarding responsibilities.

TASK

WHO

Jim Bloggs

Chip Monk

Jon Doe

Janey Jones

Instructions

1. Identify Tasks

Have your team list activities not clearly assigned to a person or group of people. Use the following examples to spur your own discussion (some of these may already be assigned to your team). Aim for a list of no more than 20 items.

Meeting Responsibilities
  • Sending out meeting material, agendas, and minutes.
  • Setting up the meeting room; cleaning up after meetings.
  • Taking minutes.
  • Facilitating meetings.
  • Arranging meetings with Managers.
  • Helping the group when it's stuck.
  • Maintaining files.
  • Leading warm-ups.
  • Leading the meeting critique.
  • Containing digression and monopolizing; using other discussion skills.
Project Responsibilities
  • Maintaining the picture book format.
  • Gathering data
  • Plotting charts
  • Maintaining files
Education/Training Responsibilities
  • Teaching statistical tools
  • Teaching project management skills
  • Teaching meeting management skills

2. Create a Chart

Set up charts as illustrated above. Then list the tasks you identified in your group meetings and discussions in the TASK Column.

3. Work Through the Chart

Work through the chart one task at a time, having each member mark (with an X or initials) the column representing the group or person he or she thinks is responsible for that task. (NOTE: Have each member use a different colour marker when marking the columns to simplify later discussion). Do this for every task listed.

4. Discuss the Answers

Discuss the answers, again working through the matrix one task at a time. Do not move to the next item until the team has reached consensus on which person or group is responsible for that task. You can decide to rotate a responsibility between people or groups, but you must clearly set down procedures for how and when to switch.

References

Scholtes, P.R. (1995). The Team Handbook: How to Use Teams to Improve Quality.
Madison, Wisconsin: Joiner Associates Inc.