Data Governance RACI Builder
Decision rights are where governance programs live or die. Start from a practitioner default — 16 activities pre-assigned across the owner / steward / custodian framework — then click any cell to cycle R·A·C·I, rename the roles to match your org, and export. The one-Accountable-per-row rule is validated live. Runs in your browser; nothing is transmitted or stored.
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Runs locally in your browser. Nothing is transmitted or stored — export before you leave.
Why decision rights come before tools
Most governance disputes aren't about data — they're about who decides. Who approves access to the customer table, who signs off on a retention period, who owns the glossary definition of "active customer." A RACI matrix settles those questions once, in writing, before they're litigated meeting by meeting. The steward vs owner vs custodian guide explains the role framework behind the default assignments here, and the governance council guide covers the body that arbitrates when the matrix is contested.
The defaults, and when to change them
The pre-loaded matrix reflects the pattern I've implemented most often: the data owner is accountable for nearly every domain-level activity, the steward is responsible for the day-to-day work, the custodian is responsible for technical execution (provisioning, deletion, lineage plumbing), and the council is accountable only for cross-domain decisions — policies, onboarding, program metrics — with the executive sponsor accountable for exactly one thing: funding. Change the defaults freely; what you should not change is the shape. If your council is accountable for everything, you've built a bottleneck. If nobody is accountable for exception approval, you've built a shadow process.
From matrix to operating model
A RACI published into a vacuum wins zero arguments. Validate each row with the people named in it, attach the matrix to your governance charter, and revisit it when roles are hired or reorganized — a steward with responsibilities and no documented authority is how good stewards quit, which is why the steward job description guide pairs with this. If you're earlier in the journey and unsure which activities your program is even ready to assign, the maturity assessment will show you where to start.