IDAHO is a user-friendly evolution of RACI, redefining the roles to be clearer using plain language that aligns with modern worksplace responsibilities:
Old RACI Roles |
New IDAHO Roles |
Description |
|---|---|---|
| Responsible | Implementer | Removes the confusion with "Accountable". An Implementer is someone who does the actual work. |
| Accountable | Decision Maker | Removes the confusion with "Responsible". No more trying to figure out what "owner" means. The Decision Maker is the one who makes the final decision. It's as easy as that. NOTE: There should only ever be one decision maker at any given time. |
| Consulted | Advisor | Role stays the same. In simpler language, the Advisor provides advice. |
| — | Helper | A new category: someone who floats in/out as needed to push the project along (e.g. project managers, asset creators, slide designers). |
| Informed | Observer | Role stays the same. In simpler language, the Observer observes the project but is not involved in implementing, decision-making, or advising. |
The result: no overlap, no jargon, no confusion.
RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) is the go-to framework for clarifying project roles. The theory is sound, but in practice it often creates confusion instead of clarity.
The greatest problem is that most people struggle to explain the difference between "Responsible" and "Accountable". And that creates friction before the work has even started.
Here are some common pain points of RACI:
- Unclear Language → "Responsible" vs. "Accountable" is too similar.
- Decision Blind Spots → RACI doesn’t clearly identify who actually decides.
- Difficult Adoption → The jargon feels abstract and unintuitive outside project management.
And here's how IDAHO resolves these:
- Plain Language → Everyone instantly understands the roles.
- Decision-First Framing → Centers accountability on who makes the decisions.
- Adds Flexibility → The Helper role acknowledges the floating contributors that RACI ignores.
- Evolution, Not Replacement → Builds on the foundations of
RACIbut fixes its pitfalls.
-
Implementer (was Responsible)
- Executes the work.
- There may be multiple Implementers.
- In some cases, the Decision-Maker and Implementer may be the same person (Decision-Making-Implementer).
-
Decision-Maker (was Accountable)
- Owns the decision and its outcome.
- Has final authority.
- Rule: there must only be one Decision-Maker per task, project, or deliverable.
-
Advisor (was Consulted)
- Provides input, expertise, or feedback.
- Has influence before a decision is made, but not the final say.
-
Helper (New!)
- Not fully committed to the project, but provides support when needed.
- Floats in and out to keep things moving (e.g. project managers, asset generation, PowerPoint support).
- Acts as a catalyst, not a core project member.
-
Observer (was Informed)
- Stays in the loop.
- Receives updates after decisions or during execution.
- No influence on the decision.
- Only one Decision-Maker at any time — ultimate accountability is never shared.
- Multiple Implementers allowed — execution can be distributed.
- The Decision-Maker and Implementer may be the same person (Decision-Making-Implementer), so long as the previous rule of only one Decision-Maker is followed.
- Advisors give input before decisions, but can't decide anything themselves.
- Helpers support the project intermittently as and when required.
- Observers are updated after decisions or milestones have been made. No input expected.
| Task / Deliverable | Implementer(s) | Decision-Maker (only 1 allowed!) | Advisor(s) | Helper(s) | Observer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launch Campaign | Marketing Team | CMO | Commercial Partnerships Team, Legal | Project Manager | Exec Team |
| Publish Blog Post | Writer, Designer | Content Lead | SEO Specialist | Asset Creator | Socials Team |
| Database Migration | DevOps Team | CTO | Security Team | Technical Project Manager | Engineering Managers |