DACI: a decision-making framework

The DACI model may seem like it belongs in a government procurement document, but it doesn't. It is actually a decision-making framework that is quite useful for product teams.

DACI pairs naturally with the broader challenge of navigating ambiguity in decision-making the framework gives you clarity on who decides; the ambiguity work helps you understand what to decide.

It's easy to use and stops confusion about roles and responsibilities within a team working on a product or project.

Actionable Takeaway: Most decision loops that drag on are simply missing a named Approver. Can you write down who has final say? If you can't, that's usually the actual problem.

Driver

The Driver is whoever keeps the decision moving. They're the one sending the "just bumping this up" email at 4pm on a Friday.

Actionable Takeaway: The Driver is not the be the most senior person in the room - it should be whoever has the most context. Seniority and decision ownership often get confused and you need to separate them deliberately.

Approver

The one with the final say, who signs off, breaks ties and takes responsibility for the outcome.

Actionable Takeaway: There should be exactly one Approver per decision. If you have two, you don't have an Approver - you have a committee and committees are slow.

Contributors

The people who provide ideas and context. Keep this group small because it's not a group vote.

Actionable Takeaway: Ask yourself: does this person have information that the Driver genuinely cannot get elsewhere? If not, they are probably Informed, not a Contributor. A Contributors list should not grow beyond 3-5 people. If it does, it is a sign that the decision scope needs tightening.

Informed

Those people are kept in the loop when a decision is made.

Actionable Takeaway: Send a short summary to your Informed group within 1-2 business days of a decision landing to keep them in the loop. Mention what was decided, why, and what happens next. The "wait, when did we decide that?" question is almost always a comms failure and should be resolved.