DACI Decision Framework

Overview

Clarify decision ownership and reduce decision thrash using the DACI framework (Driver, Approver, Contributor, Informed). Unlike RACI which focuses on task responsibility, DACI is purpose-built for product decisions -- who drives the decision to closure, who has veto power, who provides input, and who needs to know.

When to Use

• New team formation -- When a new team or cross-functional group needs clear decision-making roles.
• Decision thrash -- When decisions stall because nobody knows who has authority.
• Scaling teams -- When team growth creates ambiguity about who owns what decisions.
• Post-incident -- When a failed launch or missed deadline reveals unclear ownership.
• Reorg transitions -- When role changes create governance gaps.

When NOT to Use

• For task assignment or project execution (use RACI instead).
• For individual contributor work allocation (use sprint planning).
• When decisions are truly one-person (no governance overhead needed).

DACI Role Definitions

Role	Symbol	Definition	Rules
Driver	D	The person driving the decision to closure. Responsible for process, timeline, and ensuring a decision gets made.	Exactly one per decision.
Approver	A	The person(s) with authority to approve or veto. Their sign-off is required.	1-2 maximum per decision.
Contributor	C	People who provide input, expertise, or implementation effort. Their input shapes the decision but they don't have veto power.	As many as needed.
Informed	I	People who are notified of the decision outcome. Not part of the decision-making process.	As many as needed.

Key DACI Principles

1. Every decision has exactly one Driver. If two people are driving, nobody is driving.
2. Approvers have veto power. Limit to 1-2 to avoid gridlock.
3. Contributors influence but don't block. Their input is valued but the Driver decides how to use it.
4. Informed means notified, not consulted. Don't confuse notification with input.
5. DACI is about decisions, not tasks. Map decisions, not work items.

Building a DACI Chart

Step 1: Identify the Working Group

Define the team, business unit, or cross-functional group this DACI covers.

Step 2: List Job Titles / Roles

Enumerate all roles involved in product decisions. Common roles:

• Executive Management
• Product Manager
• Product Owner
• Engineering Lead
• UX / Design Lead
• Product Marketing
• Scrum Master
• Sales & Marketing
• Customer Support / Professional Services
• Legal / Compliance

Step 3: Define Decisions

List the key decisions this group makes. Common product decisions:

Decision	Description
What problem are we solving?	Problem definition and validation
Who is the primary user?	Persona and segment selection
What is the product vision?	Long-term direction and strategy
What is the value proposition?	Differentiation and positioning
What are the JTBD?	Jobs-to-be-done identification
What goes into the backlog?	Story selection and prioritization
What is the release plan?	Timing, scope, and sequencing
What experiments to run?	Discovery and validation activities
How is the product built?	Architecture and technical decisions
How is the product delivered?	Deployment and rollout strategy
What data do we collect?	Analytics and instrumentation
How do we price the product?	Pricing model and strategy
What is the GTM strategy?	Go-to-market planning

Step 4: Build Current-State DACI

Map how decisions are made today (not how you want them to be made):

Decision	Exec Mgmt	PM	PO	Eng Lead	Design	Marketing	Support	Legal
Problem definition	A	D	C	C	C	I	C
User/segment selection	I	D	C		C	A	C
Product vision	A	D	C	C	C	I
Value proposition	I	D			C	A
Backlog priorities	I	A	D	C	C
Release plan	I	A	D	C		I	I
Experiments		D	C	C	C
Architecture	I	C		D				A
Pricing	A	C				D		C
GTM strategy	A	C				D	C	I

Rules:

• Each row has exactly one D.
• Each row has 1-2 A maximum.
• Use D, A, C, I, or blank only.
• Add Notes column for non-obvious assignments.

Step 5: Identify Pain Points

From the current-state chart, identify common failure patterns:

Failure Pattern	Symptom	Business Impact
No Driver	Decision stalls for weeks	Missed market windows
Too many Approvers	Endless review cycles	Slow time-to-market
Driver lacks authority	Decision made but not respected	Rework and confusion
Informed treated as Approver	Late objections derail decisions	Scope creep and delays
Missing Contributors	Decisions made without key input	Poor outcomes, rework

Step 6: Design Target-State DACI

Based on pain points, redesign decision ownership:

• Ensure every row has exactly one D.
• Reduce Approvers to 1-2 per decision.
• Move chronic blockers from A to C or I.
• Add missing Contributors.
• Document changes in Notes column.

Step 7: Create Transition Plan

Timeframe	Action
First 30 days	Align on first 3 high-impact decision changes; communicate new roles
60 days	Expand to all decisions; run first decision under new DACI
90 days	Full adoption; retrospective on decision speed and quality

DACI Health Metrics

Track these metrics to monitor governance effectiveness:

Metric	Target	How to Measure
Decision cycle time	<5 business days for P0 decisions	Time from decision identified to resolved
Decision reversal rate	<10%	Decisions overturned within 30 days
Stakeholder satisfaction	>80%	Survey: "Do you know who makes decision X?"
Escalation rate	<15%	Decisions escalated past intended Approver
Decision coverage	100%	All recurring decisions have a DACI row

Integration with Other Skills

• Use create-prd/ to document decisions made via DACI in PRD Section 2 (Contacts).
• Use identify-assumptions/ to surface assumptions about decision authority.
• Use brainstorm-okrs/ to align DACI decisions with quarterly objectives.
• Use summarize-meeting/ to capture decision outcomes in meeting notes.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Likely Cause	Resolution
Decisions still stall after DACI rollout	Driver lacks confidence or authority in practice	Coach Drivers on decision-making process; ensure Approvers respect the framework
Everyone is marked as Contributor	Team avoids accountability by defaulting to C	Force each person to commit to D, A, C, or I -- no "everyone contributes"
DACI chart exists but nobody references it	Document not integrated into workflows	Post DACI in team Confluence/Notion; reference it in kickoff meetings
Approvers overrule without explanation	Authority without accountability	Require Approvers to document veto rationale; review in retrospectives
New decisions not added to chart	DACI treated as one-time exercise	Review and update DACI quarterly; add new decisions as they emerge

Success Criteria

• 100% of recurring product decisions have a DACI row with exactly one Driver
• Decision cycle time reduced by 30%+ after DACI implementation
• <10% of decisions reversed within 30 days of being made

• 80% of team members can identify the Driver for any given decision

• DACI chart reviewed and updated at least quarterly

Scope & Limitations

In Scope: DACI chart creation, current-state mapping, target-state design, transition planning, governance health metrics, pain point identification, decision ownership clarity.

Out of Scope: Task assignment (use RACI), project execution tracking (use sprint planning), individual performance management, organizational design beyond decision governance.

Important Caveats: DACI works best when leadership commits to respecting the framework. Without executive buy-in, Drivers may lack the authority to actually drive decisions. Start with 3-5 high-impact decisions rather than trying to map everything at once.

Integration Points

Integration	Direction	What Flows
create-prd/	Feeds into	DACI decisions inform PRD Contacts section and decision log
identify-assumptions/	Complements	Surfaces assumptions about who has authority
brainstorm-okrs/	Complements	OKR ownership aligns with DACI decision ownership
summarize-meeting/	Feeds into	Meeting summaries capture DACI decision outcomes
senior-pm/	Complements	Portfolio-level DACI for cross-project decisions

References

• Productside DACI guidance for product teams
• Inspired by the DACI framework used at Intuit and other product-led organizations