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Decision rights matrix template for a small team

A plain decision rights matrix template for a 5 to 50 person team: who decides, who is asked first and who is told, with the ten questions people will ask.

A decision rights matrix says who decides what, so people stop asking the founder about things that were never in doubt. Write one decider per decision, then who is asked first and who is told afterwards.

A template with blanks, not legal advice. Rules on pay, leave and data vary by state, so check yours.

The template

How to read it

  • Decides: one named person, never a team. If two people decide, nobody does.
  • Asked first: people who must give input before the decision is made. Keep this list short.
  • Told after: people who hear the result. They do not need to approve it.

Money

  • Spend up to [amount]: decides [role], asked [role or nobody], told [role].
  • Spend between [amount] and [amount]: decides [role], asked [role], told [role].
  • New recurring tool or subscription over [amount] a month: decides [role], asked [role], told [role].

People

  • Hiring a [role or contractor]: decides [role], asked [role], told [role].
  • Pay or title changes: decides [role], asked [role], told [role].
  • Ending someone's work: decides [role], asked [role], told [role].

Customers

  • Discount up to [percent]: decides [role], asked [nobody], told [role].
  • Discount above [percent], custom terms or a refund above [amount]: decides [role], asked [role], told [role].
  • What we promise a customer on dates or features: decides [role], asked [role], told [role].

Product and work

  • What ships this [week / month]: decides [role], asked [role], told [role].
  • Changing the plan after work has started: decides [role], asked [role], told [role].

When the decider is away

  • If [name] is away, [name] decides up to [amount or limit].
  • Above that, wait for [name] or contact [name] by [way].

Who owns this matrix

  • Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date]. Check again by: [date].
  • Changes to this matrix are decided by [role].

The ten questions your team will ask

Write each answer once, with an owner and the date you last confirmed it. These ten answers are what a bot or a shared FAQ should answer from.

  1. 1.Who decides this?

    Answer: [The named decider for each type of decision.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  2. 2.Can I approve a discount myself?

    Answer: [Your discount limit and who decides above it.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  3. 3.How much can I spend without asking?

    Answer: [Your spending bands and who decides in each.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  4. 4.Who decides if two of us disagree?

    Answer: [The tie-breaker for each area.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  5. 5.Do I need to ask before I hire a contractor?

    Answer: [Who decides, who is asked first, and the budget limit.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  6. 6.Who approves a refund over the limit?

    Answer: [The role and how to reach them.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  7. 7.What if the decider is away?

    Answer: [The backup, the limit and when to wait.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  8. 8.Who needs to be told after a decision?

    Answer: [The told-after list for each type.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  9. 9.Where do I find decisions already made?

    Answer: [The place, such as a shared decision log, and who keeps it.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

  10. 10.How do I ask to change who decides something?

    Answer: [The person who owns the matrix and how often it is reviewed.]

    Owner: [name]. Last confirmed: [date].

Before you publish it

  • Start with the decisions that reach you most often this month, not every decision in the company.
  • Use real numbers for limits. A limit with no number gets asked about every time.
  • Test your bot or FAQ with the ten questions before you rely on it.

Want to check a bot against these questions? Use the free honesty test, or turn the answers into a shareable FAQ with the team FAQ builder.

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Common questions

  • It is a simple chart that maps each type of decision to the people involved: who decides, who is asked first and who is told afterwards. It is close to a RACI chart, but it focuses on who has the authority to decide.

  • A RACI chart assigns roles on a task or project. A decision rights matrix is about authority: who may decide a type of question, and up to what limit.

  • Start with the ten to fifteen decisions that reach the founder most often, then add more as questions come up.

Guides that explain how to use this

More templates