In the business world, clear and concise communication about the work that needs to be done and who should be doing it is a key that opens the door to successful strategizing and planning, policy enforcement, risk mitigation and remediation, optimized budgeting, and more! The ability to identify roles and responsibilities in the ITAM program and align them with the organizational job titles that best fit will facilitate efficiency in many processes since everyone will be on the same page with who does what, who reports to who, etc. 

Organizations’ employees must be able to identify process owners, decision makers, and stakeholders in order for programs and projects to be successful. When aligning the tasks, projects, and functions of ITAM to pre-existing job titles in the organization, using a RACI chart can be very helpful. RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed.

• Responsible: Who is doing the actual work. There should be at least one team member assigned to this role per task. 
• Accountable: Who will have to answer to the success or failure of the task? There should only be one person assigned to this role per task. Having a single point of contact who is knowledgeable about the work being done will ensure that the task is completed on time and correctly. This individual is usually the Project Manager or a supervisor or manager of the department responsible for the task.
• Consulted: Who needs to be included in the planning phase or can provide insight or feedback during the task? These individuals might provide important information about the work being done but are not directly responsible for that work.
• Informed: Who needs to be kept up to date on the work being done and its impact? These individuals are not involved in decision making, the planning process, or the actual work being done, but need to have a stake in the results of the task or project, so should be updated along the way about how they will be impacted.

By clearly depicting this information, organizations can mature the Communication & Education Management KPA, increase employee ITAM awareness, streamline processes, and ensure that every employee understands and is committed to their role in managing the IT assets and protecting the organization’s data. When team members understand their specific roles and responsibilities, as well as those of others in the organization, confusion is reduced and overlaps or gaps in responsibilities can be avoided. This clarity facilitates cross-functional collaboration and drives efficiency and productivity. 

A RACI chart enhances team communication and accountability. For example, if a member of the Sales team gets a notice of license expiry when she opens an application she needs to know who to report the expired license to. If there is no clear responsible or accountable member of the SAM team identified, this issue may not be resolved. The Sales employee may report it to her direct supervisor, but if that individual doesn’t have a relationship with ITAM or doesn’t know who to report the issue to within the ITAM team, it may go no further until it’s discovered in a self-audit after receiving an audit letter from the software provider. By then, it’s too late to secure the licensing your organization needs and the lack of clarity and awareness of ITAM roles and responsibilities will cause your organization a significant unbudgeted expense on top of productivity issues due to the loss of software usage rights. 

Using a RACI chart can also streamline processes. When roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, strategic decisions can be made faster. For example, using a RACI chart to help choose the members of your Asset Selection Team ensures that knowledgeable people are involved in the process. By identifying who should be informed and consulted, you can ensure that everyone who has a stake in the program and the organization’s IT assets can give their insight and feedback. Subject Matter Experts can more easily identify tasks and processes that they can streamline by taking an active role in them or lending their expertise to those actively doing the work. Also, by involving those who are knowledgeable about and experienced in using or managing an asset or its related resources, you can minimize the amount of research needed in the planning phase of the acquisition. 

It’s just good business sense to align ITAM roles and responsibilities with organizational job titles to facilitate the understanding and increase the perceived value of the program across all employees. A RACI chart is a valuable tool to enhance the overall management of your organization’s valuable IT assets and data.