Accountability Framework — RACIEasyStagecraft Module 3 · who decides, who executes, who is consulted, who is informed · adapted to school theatre · one row per recurring decision type
How to use. Print this on Day 1 of pre-production and tape it inside the production office door. Walk every HOD through the rows that mention them. The framework is the answer to every "why did THAT route through Daniel?" — because the matrix said so. Adapt rows to your specific school's structure: not every show has an MD, some schools have a Drama HOD who is also the director, some have a parent producer instead of a teacher PM. Keep the principle, change the names.
R · Responsible Does the work · executes the task · day-to-day owner
A · Accountable Owns the outcome · signs off · only ONE A per row
C · Consulted Two-way input · their view shapes the decision before it's made
I · Informed One-way · they hear after, no veto · keep informed in writing
The matrix
Decision type
Example trigger
Principal
PM (teacher)
Director
SM (student)
MD
LX/SND HOD
Set HOD
Parent coord
Production approved
Annual show go/no-go
A
R
C
I
C
I
I
I
Casting
Lead role + ensemble announced
I
I
R/A
I
C
—
—
—
Show concept / interpretation
Setting, period, design direction
I
C
R/A
I
C
C
C
—
Budget cap
Annual envelope from school
A
R
I
I
I
I
I
I
P&L scope changes within cap
Move A$2k from set to LX
I
R/A
C
I
—
C
C
—
Contractor selection
Pick LX hire company
I
R/A
I
—
—
C
C
—
Safety stop call
"Stop the work — fixture not chained"
I
A
I
R
—
R
R
R
Scope change (mid-pro)
Add a new song / scenic piece
I
A
R
C
C
C
C
—
Daily call sheet
Tomorrow's call times
—
A
C
R
C
C
C
I
Rehearsal direction
Scene-by-scene blocking
—
I
R/A
C
C
—
—
—
SWMS approval
Sign-off for fly-grid work
I
A
I
C
—
R
R
—
Student discipline (production-related)
Crew arrives drunk to rehearsal
A
R
C
C
—
—
—
C
Parent volunteer onboarding
WWCC sighted, role assigned
I
A
I
—
—
—
—
R
Media + press contact
Local paper review request
A
C
R
—
—
—
—
—
Parent complaint (formal)
"My child didn't get a fair audition"
A
R
C
—
—
—
—
—
Streaming-rights position
With/without livestream
A
R
C
—
—
C
—
—
Image release per channel
Photo opt-out for one cast member
—
A
I
I
—
—
—
R
Cue book final lock
"No more cue changes" point
—
C
C
R/A
—
R
—
—
Bump-in / bump-out plan
4-day Sat-Tue matrix
—
A
I
R
I
R
R
I
Late-night travel approval
Yr 9 student leaving 21:30 after dress
I
A
—
R
—
—
—
R
Incident investigation (post-event)
Minor injury during bump-in
A
R
I
C
—
C
C
I
Post-mortem meeting + report
1 week after closing
I
R/A
C
C
C
C
C
C
The two rules that make this work
Only one A per row. If two people own the outcome, no-one does. Discuss; settle; one name in the A column.
An "I" is not a passive role. The person tagged "I" must be informed in writing within 24 hours of the decision being made. Forgotten "I"s become escalations.
How to introduce this without making everyone feel managed
Walk it through with the director first, alone. They are the most likely to push back; getting them onboard first prevents the public sceptic.
Frame it as "this is how we don't accidentally trip over each other", not "this is who's in charge".
Update it after the first scope-change incident — show the team how the framework was used to depersonalise it. That's when buy-in lands.
If a row genuinely doesn't apply to your school's structure, delete it — better an honest 14-row matrix than a fake 22-row one.