RACI

This acronym acts as a handy checklist to consider and clarify roles and responsibilities for projects. You could even build a table — a Responsibility Assignment Matrix —  with what needs to happen and the people who are involved identifying what relationship each person has for each task. In particular, sometimes making it clear who doesn’t have a say can be the most helpful thing to do. It breaks down somewhat like this:

• Responsible
  Who will actually be responsible for doing the task.
• Accountable
  Who is accountable for it being completed and achieving its goals.
• Consulted
  Whose opinion will be sought for the task, though they won’t be doing it themselves.
• Informed
  Who doesn’t get a say in the task, but will be kept informed of how it’s going.