The RACI Matrix: A Cornerstone for Digital Accessibility Success

Why Build an Accessibility RACI Matrix?

In today's digital landscape, organizations face mounting pressure to ensure their products and services are accessible to all users, including people with disabilities. Despite good intentions, many accessibility initiatives fall short of their goals or struggle to maintain momentum over time. The core challenge isn't usually technical knowledge or resource constraints—it's governance. Without clear ownership, consultation pathways, and accountability structures, even well-funded accessibility efforts can stall or deliver inconsistent results.

Enter the RACI matrix: a powerful yet straightforward framework that transforms how organizations approach complex, cross-functional initiatives like digital accessibility. This responsibility assignment chart provides clarity in environments where multiple stakeholders must collaborate effectively to achieve compliance and create truly inclusive digital experiences.

Below is our simple, but effective, RACI matrix for accessibility.

Understanding the RACI Matrix Framework

The Building Blocks of RACI

The RACI matrix gets its name from the four key responsibility types it defines:

• R (Responsible): The person or role that performs the actual work to complete a specific task. The "doer" who takes hands-on ownership of implementation. Each task should have at least one Responsible party, though sometimes responsibility may be shared.
• A (Accountable): The person who has ultimate ownership of the task and to whom the Responsible person reports. The Accountable person must approve work before it's considered complete. A critical RACI principle is that only one person should be Accountable for each task or deliverable to prevent diffusion of responsibility.
• C (Consulted): People whose input, expertise, or feedback is sought before finalizing decisions or deliverables. This two-way communication is essential for incorporating specialized knowledge and building consensus. Subject matter experts often fill this role.
• I (Informed): People who are kept updated on progress or decisions, but without the expectation of providing input. This one-way communication ensures that all stakeholders remain aware of developments that may impact their work.

Beyond the Basics: RACI Variations

While the standard RACI model works well for most organizations, some variations exist:

• RASCI: Adds "S" for Support—people who assist the Responsible person but in a more supportive capacity
• RACI-VS: Adds "V" for Verify and "S" for Signatory, providing additional distinction for compliance-related functions
• CAIRO: Restructures as Consulted, Accountable, Informed, Responsible, Omitted to emphasize different aspects

For digital accessibility, the standard RACI model typically provides sufficient clarity, though organizations with complex regulatory requirements might benefit from considering these variations.

Why Digital Accessibility Demands RACI Clarity

Digital accessibility presents unique governance challenges for several reasons:

1. Multi-disciplinary Requirements

Accessibility touches virtually every aspect of digital product development and maintenance:

• Designers must understand color contrast requirements and focus states
• Developers need to implement ARIA attributes and ensure keyboard navigability
• Content creators must provide alternative text for images and use proper heading structures
• QA testers must validate against accessibility guidelines
• Product managers need to prioritize accessibility features and fixes

Without a RACI matrix, these interconnected responsibilities can quickly become confused or overlooked.

2. Evolving Standards and Requirements

The accessibility landscape continues to evolve with:

• Updates to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
• Emerging legal precedents from digital accessibility lawsuits
• New technologies requiring fresh approaches to accessibility

Organizations need clear responsibility assignments to stay current with these changes and incorporate them into products and processes.

3. The Compliance Imperative

With digital accessibility lawsuits increasing year over year, organizations face significant legal and reputational risks. A RACI matrix helps ensure that compliance responsibilities are clearly assigned and nothing falls through the cracks.

4. Long-term Sustainability Challenges

Accessibility isn't a one-time project but an ongoing commitment. Organizations must establish sustainable processes that outlast individual team members' tenure. A RACI matrix institutionalizes responsibilities, making the accessibility program more resilient to organizational changes.

Analyzing a Comprehensive Digital Accessibility RACI Matrix

Let's examine a detailed RACI matrix designed specifically for digital accessibility initiatives. This matrix maps twelve critical tasks across nine distinct organizational roles, providing a blueprint for effective accessibility governance.

Critical Accessibility Tasks

The matrix addresses the full lifecycle of accessibility implementation:

1. Develop Accessibility Strategy

This foundational task involves establishing the organization's approach to accessibility, including standards adoption, compliance targets, technical guidelines, and how accessibility aligns with overall business objectives. It requires both technical expertise and strategic thinking.

In our matrix, the Accessibility Lead is Responsible (R) for this task, while the Project Manager is Accountable (A). UX/UI Designers, Developers, Content Creators, and Legal/Compliance are Consulted (C), recognizing the need for broad input into a sustainable strategy.

2. Conduct Accessibility Audit

Evaluating existing digital properties against accessibility standards is crucial for establishing baselines and identifying priority improvements. This typically involves automated testing combined with manual expert reviews.

The Accessibility Lead owns responsibility (R) for conducting thorough audits, with consultation from UI/UX, Development, QA, and Legal teams to ensure comprehensive coverage across all aspects of the digital experience.

3. Design Accessible UI/UX

Creating interfaces that accommodate diverse user needs—including those using assistive technologies—requires specialized design knowledge. The UI/UX Designer appropriately takes responsibility (R) for this task, with the Accessibility Lead providing consultation (C) to ensure designs align with accessibility requirements.

4. Develop Accessible Code

Building the technical foundation for accessibility falls to Developers, who are Responsible (R) for implementing accessible code. QA Testers and the Accessibility Lead are Consulted (C) to ensure the development approach will meet requirements and be testable.

5. Create Accessible Content

Content—including text, images, videos, and documents—must be created with accessibility in mind. Content Creators hold responsibility (R) here, with consultation from the Accessibility Lead and Metadata Analyst to ensure proper implementation of alternative text, captions, transcripts, and semantic structure.

6. Test for WCAG Compliance

Validating digital properties against Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) requires specialized testing skills. QA Testers are Responsible (R) for this task, consulting with Developers who may need to implement fixes and the Accessibility Lead who can provide guidance on interpreting guidelines.

7. Fix Accessibility Bugs

Addressing identified issues falls primarily to Developers (R), with the Accessibility Lead and QA Testers providing consultation (C) on appropriate solutions and verification testing.

8. Document Accessibility Practices

Creating and maintaining documentation of standards, processes, and best practices is essential for knowledge sharing and consistency. The Accessibility Lead owns this responsibility (R), with Content Creators consulted (C) to ensure the documentation itself is accessible and user-friendly.

9. Train Team on Accessibility

Building organizational capacity through training ensures sustainability. The Accessibility Lead is Responsible (R) for leading training efforts, with UI/UX Designers and Content Creators consulted (C) to develop targeted training for different roles.

10. Monitor & Maintain Compliance

Ongoing monitoring ensures continued compliance as products evolve. The Accessibility Lead is Responsible (R), with consultation from UI/UX, Development, and QA to establish monitoring processes that integrate with existing workflows.

11. Review Legal Standards

Keeping up with regulatory requirements falls to Legal/Compliance (R), with the Accessibility Lead consulted (C) to understand technical implications of legal developments.

12. Design Metadata for Accessibility

Implementing appropriate tagging, schema, and structured data enhances accessibility and discoverability. The Metadata Analyst takes responsibility (R) for this specialized task, consulting with the Accessibility Lead, Developers, and Content Creators.

Key Organizational Roles

The matrix distributes responsibilities across nine critical roles:

Project Manager

The Project Manager maintains Accountability (A) across all tasks, creating a clear escalation path and ensuring that accessibility requirements are integrated into project timelines and resource allocations. This consistent accountability prevents accessibility from becoming an afterthought.

Accessibility Lead

As the organization's accessibility champion, the Accessibility Lead holds Responsibility (R) for five critical tasks and serves as a consultant on the remaining seven. This central position ensures consistent standards and approaches across all accessibility initiatives.

UX/UI Designer

Designers own the creation of accessible user interfaces (R), while being consulted on strategy, audits, training, and monitoring to ensure design systems and patterns consistently support accessibility.

Developer

Developers take responsibility (R) for code implementation and fixing accessibility bugs, with consultation roles in audits, testing, and metadata design, recognizing their technical expertise.

QA Tester

Quality Assurance owns WCAG compliance testing (R) and provides consultation on audits, code development, and bug fixes, ensuring accessibility is thoroughly validated.

Content Creator

Content teams are responsible (R) for creating accessible content while being consulted on documentation and training to ensure content guidelines are comprehensive and practical.

Legal/Compliance

This role owns the review of legal standards (R) and provides consultation on strategy and audits to ensure regulatory compliance.

Stakeholders

While not directly responsible for implementation, stakeholders are kept informed (I) throughout the process, maintaining awareness without creating bottlenecks.

Metadata Analyst

This specialized role takes responsibility (R) for accessibility metadata implementation, providing a critical but often overlooked aspect of digital accessibility.

Implementing an Effective Accessibility RACI Matrix

Successfully deploying a RACI matrix for accessibility requires thoughtful implementation:

1. Adapt to Your Organization's Structure

Not every organization has dedicated accessibility specialists or metadata analysts. When adapting this matrix:

• Identify which existing roles can absorb the responsibilities outlined
• Consider whether consultants or third-party specialists might fill gaps
• Determine if new roles need to be created as your accessibility maturity grows

2. Start with Clear Objectives

Before finalizing your RACI assignments:

• Define what accessibility compliance means for your organization
• Establish clear success metrics for your accessibility program
• Identify your highest-priority accessibility initiatives

These foundations will help you customize the matrix to your specific needs.

3. Secure Leadership Buy-in

A RACI matrix is only effective when it has organizational support:

• Present the business case for clear accessibility governance
• Highlight how the RACI matrix reduces redundancy and increases efficiency
• Emphasize the risk mitigation benefits of clear responsibility assignment

4. Communicate and Educate

Once you've developed your RACI matrix:

• Share it widely throughout the organization
• Explain what the different responsibility types mean in practical terms
• Provide role-specific guidance on fulfilling assigned responsibilities
• Make the matrix accessible in multiple formats (visual and text-based)

5. Revisit and Refine

A RACI matrix should evolve along with your organization:

• Review the matrix quarterly during the first year
• Adjust assignments based on feedback and observed effectiveness
• Update as new accessibility requirements emerge or roles change

Beyond the Matrix: Building an Accessibility-First Culture

While a RACI matrix provides essential structure, creating truly accessible digital experiences requires building accessibility into your organizational culture:

1. Incorporate into Existing Workflows

Rather than treating accessibility as a separate process:

• Add accessibility checkpoints to existing design reviews
• Include accessibility criteria in QA test plans
• Make accessibility part of content approval workflows

2. Empower with Tools and Resources

Support your team members in fulfilling their RACI responsibilities:

• Provide role-appropriate accessibility tools and training
• Create accessibility knowledge bases and pattern libraries
• Establish clear escalation paths for accessibility questions

3. Celebrate Accessibility Wins

Reinforce the importance of accessibility work:

• Recognize team members who champion accessibility
• Share positive feedback from users with disabilities
• Highlight accessibility improvements in product communications

Conclusion: From Matrix to Maturity

A well-designed RACI matrix isn't just an organizational chart—it's a roadmap to accessibility maturity. By clearly defining who does what at each stage of your accessibility journey, you transform aspirational goals into actionable plans with clear owners and accountability mechanisms.

Organizations that invest in this level of governance clarity typically experience:

• Faster resolution of accessibility issues
• More consistent implementation of standards
• Better cross-functional collaboration
• More sustainable compliance over time
• Gradual improvement in accessibility maturity

As digital experiences become increasingly central to how organizations serve all customers, including those with disabilities, the organizations that excel will be those that move beyond ad-hoc accessibility efforts toward systematic governance frameworks like the RACI matrix.

By clarifying responsibilities, building capacity, and establishing clear accountability, your organization can move confidently toward digital experiences that are truly accessible to all users—not just because it's legally required, but because it's fundamental to delivering on your commitment to serve all users with excellence and respect.