Align on decision making and skip the decision-making fatigue.
There is such a thing as too many cooks in the kitchen. This scenario is made worse when the head chef isn’t apparent. Meet Mural’s DACI model template, your go-to playbook for project management. It ensures everyone’s on the same page in terms of accountability, transparency, and nailing decisions. The DACI model assigns everyone a specific role, so collaboration is clear and efficient.
A DACI decision-making framework is a structured project management approach designed to clearly set out roles and responsibilities in decision-making processes within teams. Many knowledge workers believe that less than 20% of their meetings are productive; decision templates help make meetings worth it.
DACI stands for: Driver, Approver, Contributor, and Informed. Each position is a crucial puzzle piece, making sure projects succeed. While it rubs shoulders with frameworks like RACI and RAM, DACI's got an edge with its all-inclusive approach, spotlighting the “Driver” front and center.
Each role in the DACI model is important in ensuring decisions are made effectively and efficiently.
Driver: Oh captain, my captain! The driver is the person who leads the project and coordinates efforts, ensuring the decision-making process moves forward smoothly.
Approver: The key decision-maker who has the final say on outcomes. This role is often filled by a senior leader or stakeholder who reviews the inputs from the Driver and Contributors.
Contributor(s): Contributors are folks that make the magic happen. These team members provide valuable insights, expertise, and support during discussions. They help shape the direction of the project by contributing ideas and information.
Informed: Those who need to stay updated on the project’s progress and decisions but do not participate directly in the decision-making process. Keeping them informed ensures transparency and alignment. They’re likely the approver’s boss.
Whether it’s about an upcoming campaign or a wide-sweeping company decision, determine what needs to be decided, making sure to think of all the internal and external factors before you assemble your working team.
Figure out who will be the Driver, Approver, Contributors, and Informed on your working team.
Before you meet, outline exactly what everyone will be doing during this decision-making process.
Share the framework with the team and schedule meetings to go over the framework and any upcoming milestones that you’ve laid out.
Think of a DACI document as your team’s treasure map for decision making! It lays out who does what so everyone knows their role. It features the Driver, Approver, Contributors, and Informed, so every person knows their swim lanes.
RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) outlines roles and responsibility for a working project where there are specific deliverables. DACI, on the other hand, is a targeted game plan, focusing specifically on decision-making roles. It’s all about who drives the process and who gets the final say, making it efficient for quick decisions.
Ready to craft your DACI document? Here’s your recipe for success:
Mural is the only platform that offers both a shared workspace and training on the LUMA System™, a practical way to collaborate that anyone can learn and apply.