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RAPID Decision Matrix
A template for clarifying decision rights using RAPID methodology.
What's included
- RAPID framework explanation
- Template for role assignment
- Common patterns
- Implementation guidance
- Communication templates
Best used when
- Cross-functional decisions
- Recurring decision confusion
- New project kickoffs
- Org design clarification
Why this is Gold
Unclear decision rights cause delays. RAPID creates clarity on who decides what.
The template
Overview
RAPID PHILOSOPHY
Understanding Decision Rights
THE RAPID IMPERATIVE
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
"The right decision made quickly is far better than the perfect
decision made slowly, and infinitely better than no decision
at all."
THE CORE PROBLEM RAPID SOLVES:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SYMPTOMS OF UNCLEAR DECISION RIGHTS: │
│ • Meetings end without decisions │
│ • Same topic discussed repeatedly │
│ • People waiting for permission that never comes │
│ • Decisions made, then reversed by someone else │
│ • "I thought YOU were deciding..." │
│ • Good ideas die in committee │
│ • Fast-moving competitors outpace you │
│ │
│ THE ROOT CAUSE: │
│ Nobody knows who has authority to decide what │
│ │
│ RAPID creates clarity BEFORE decisions are needed │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
DECISION RIGHTS PRINCIPLES:
1. Every decision has ONE and only one decision maker (D)
2. Decision authority should be pushed down, not up
3. Agree (A) roles are used sparingly—each A adds friction
4. Input (I) is valuable but not binding
5. Recommend (R) owns the analysis, D owns the outcome
6. When in doubt, the D decides
RAPID vs. OTHER FRAMEWORKS:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Framework │ Best For │ Key Difference │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ RAPID │ Complex decisions │ Clear roles, one D │
│ RACI │ Task assignments │ Focuses on work, not │
│ │ │ decisions │
│ DACI │ Similar to RAPID │ Driver vs Recommender │
│ MOCHA │ Project roles │ Manager/Owner structure │
│ Consensus │ Culture decisions │ All must agree (slow) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
ANTI-PATTERNS TO AVOID:
☐ Multiple D's (paralysis—no one decides)
☐ D without authority (decorative decision maker)
☐ Too many A's (every A is a potential veto)
☐ Confusing I with A (input treated as veto)
☐ R as rubber stamp (recommendation ignored)
☐ P not informed (implementers surprised)
☐ Roles not communicated (assumed, not explicit)
COMPREHENSIVE RAPID FRAMEWORK
Section 1: RAPID Role Definitions
RAPID ROLE DEEP DIVE
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ R │ RECOMMEND │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ WHO: • The person/team with expertise to analyze │
│ • Usually closest to the problem │
│ • Can be individual or small team │
│ │
│ WHAT: • Gathers data and input from I's │
│ • Analyzes options thoroughly │
│ • Makes a clear recommendation to D │
│ • Documents rationale │
│ │
│ DOES: ☐ Frames the decision clearly │
│ ☐ Identifies and evaluates options │
│ ☐ Consults with Input providers │
│ ☐ Synthesizes perspectives │
│ ☐ Makes a single recommendation │
│ ☐ Presents to Decision maker │
│ │
│ DOES NOT: ☐ Make the final decision │
│ ☐ Override the Decision maker │
│ ☐ Skip Input gathering │
│ │
│ SUCCESS: D can make informed decision quickly │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ A │ AGREE (Use Sparingly!) │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ WHO: • Someone with legitimate veto authority │
│ • Often Legal, Compliance, Finance, or Security │
│ • Should be rare—each A adds friction │
│ │
│ WHAT: • Has veto power on specific aspects │
│ • Must formally approve before proceeding │
│ • Accountable for their approval domain │
│ │
│ DOES: ☐ Reviews recommendation for their domain │
│ ☐ Flags risks or compliance issues │
│ ☐ Explicitly approves or blocks │
│ ☐ Offers alternatives if blocking │
│ │
│ DOES NOT: ☐ Have veto over everything │
│ ☐ Delay without clear reason │
│ ☐ Override the D on non-A matters │
│ │
│ WHEN TO USE A: │
│ ☐ Legal/compliance requirements │
│ ☐ Financial controls/authority limits │
│ ☐ Security/risk requirements │
│ ☐ Brand/reputation implications │
│ │
│ WHEN NOT TO USE A: │
│ ☐ "This person should be involved" │
│ ☐ Seniority alone (that's what D is for) │
│ ☐ Preference or opinion (that's Input) │
│ │
│ WARNING: Every A you add slows the decision │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ P │ PERFORM │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ WHO: • The person/team who implements the decision │
│ • May overlap with R (often does) │
│ • Should be identified before decision is made │
│ │
│ WHAT: • Executes the decision │
│ • Delivers the outcome │
│ • May flag implementation concerns during process │
│ │
│ DOES: ☐ Provides feasibility input during R process │
│ ☐ Flags implementation risks │
│ ☐ Executes decision once made │
│ ☐ Reports on implementation progress │
│ │
│ DOES NOT: ☐ Block or delay the decision │
│ ☐ Redesign the decision during execution │
│ │
│ KEY: P should be consulted on feasibility BEFORE decision │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ I │ INPUT │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ WHO: • Anyone with valuable perspective or data │
│ • Subject matter experts │
│ • Affected stakeholders │
│ • Can be many people │
│ │
│ WHAT: • Provides perspective, data, opinions │
│ • Consulted but does NOT have veto │
│ • Input is considered, not required to follow │
│ │
│ DOES: ☐ Responds to R's questions promptly │
│ ☐ Provides honest perspective │
│ ☐ Flags concerns clearly │
│ ☐ Accepts that D may decide differently │
│ │
│ DOES NOT: ☐ Expect input to be binding │
│ ☐ Delay providing input │
│ ☐ Escalate when decision differs │
│ │
│ CRITICAL DISTINCTION: │
│ I = "Your input is valued and will be considered" │
│ A = "Your agreement is required to proceed" │
│ │
│ Many conflicts come from people thinking they're A │
│ when they're actually I │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ D │ DECIDE │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ WHO: • ALWAYS one person (never a committee) │
│ • Has authority and accountability │
│ • Usually the leader of the affected area │
│ │
│ WHAT: • Makes the final call │
│ • Accountable for the outcome │
│ • Can overrule R's recommendation │
│ • Cannot be overruled except by their manager │
│ │
│ DOES: ☐ Reviews R's recommendation │
│ ☐ Considers all Input │
│ ☐ Obtains A approvals if required │
│ ☐ Makes a clear, timely decision │
│ ☐ Communicates decision and rationale │
│ ☐ Owns the outcome │
│ │
│ DOES NOT: ☐ Delegate the decision to the group │
│ ☐ Wait indefinitely for more data │
│ ☐ Change decision without process │
│ │
│ THE CARDINAL RULE: │
│ There is ALWAYS exactly ONE D │
│ If you have two D's, you have zero D's │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Section 2: RAPID Assignment Templates
RAPID ASSIGNMENT WORKSHEET
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
DECISION CONTEXT:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ DECISION TITLE: ___________________________________________│
│ │
│ DECISION QUESTION: │
│ ____________________________________________________________│
│ ____________________________________________________________│
│ │
│ SCOPE: What is included in this decision? │
│ ____________________________________________________________│
│ │
│ SCOPE: What is explicitly NOT part of this decision? │
│ ____________________________________________________________│
│ │
│ DEADLINE: Decision needed by: _____________________________│
│ WHY THIS DATE: ____________________________________________│
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
RAPID ROLE ASSIGNMENT:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ R - RECOMMEND │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Name(s): ______________________________________________ │ │
│ │ Why this person: ______________________________________ │ │
│ │ Deliverable: ☐ Recommendation doc ☐ Options analysis │ │
│ │ Due date: _____________________________________________ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ A - AGREE (only if truly needed) │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Name: _________________________________________________ │ │
│ │ Domain: What do they have veto authority over? │ │
│ │ _______________________________________________________ │ │
│ │ Why A and not I: ______________________________________ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Name: _________________________________________________ │ │
│ │ Domain: _______________________________________________ │ │
│ │ Why A and not I: ______________________________________ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ P - PERFORM │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Name(s): ______________________________________________ │ │
│ │ Implementation scope: _________________________________ │ │
│ │ Feasibility input needed: ☐ Yes ☐ No │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ I - INPUT │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Name: _________________ Perspective needed: ___________ │ │
│ │ Name: _________________ Perspective needed: ___________ │ │
│ │ Name: _________________ Perspective needed: ___________ │ │
│ │ Name: _________________ Perspective needed: ___________ │ │
│ │ Input deadline: _______________________________________ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ D - DECIDE │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Name: _________________________________________________ │ │
│ │ Why this person has authority: ________________________ │ │
│ │ Decision meeting/date: ________________________________ │ │
│ │ Escalation path (if needed): __________________________ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
COMMUNICATION OF ROLES:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ☐ All role holders informed of their role │
│ ☐ Timeline communicated │
│ ☐ Expectations for each role clarified │
│ ☐ RAPID chart shared with all stakeholders │
│ ☐ Questions/concerns addressed │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
TIMELINE:
| Milestone | Date | Owner |
|-----------|------|-------|
| Input gathering complete | | R |
| Recommendation ready | | R |
| A review complete | | A |
| Decision meeting | | D |
| Decision communicated | | D |
| Implementation begins | | P |
Section 3: Common RAPID Patterns
RAPID PATTERNS BY DECISION TYPE
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
HIRING DECISIONS:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Role │ Typical Assignment │ Notes │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ R │ Hiring Manager │ Runs process, recommends │
│ A │ HR (compliance) │ Only for policy compliance │
│ │ Finance (budget) │ Only for headcount approval │
│ P │ Recruiting/HR │ Offer, onboarding │
│ I │ Interview team │ Scorecards, feedback │
│ │ Skip-level │ If appropriate │
│ D │ Hiring Manager │ OR their manager for │
│ │ (or VP for senior) │ senior roles │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
PRICING DECISIONS:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Role │ Typical Assignment │ Notes │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ R │ Product/Pricing │ Market analysis, options │
│ A │ Finance │ Margin requirements │
│ │ Legal │ Compliance review │
│ P │ RevOps/Sales │ Systems, enablement │
│ I │ Sales leadership │ Customer impact │
│ │ Customer Success │ Retention risk │
│ │ Marketing │ Positioning │
│ D │ CEO/GM │ Strategic pricing │
│ │ OR Product lead │ Tactical pricing │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
PRODUCT/FEATURE DECISIONS:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Role │ Typical Assignment │ Notes │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ R │ Product Manager │ Requirements, analysis │
│ A │ Engineering │ Technical feasibility │
│ │ Security (if risky)│ Security requirements │
│ P │ Engineering │ Build and ship │
│ │ Design │ Design work │
│ I │ Sales │ Customer demand │
│ │ Support │ Pain points │
│ │ Customers │ Direct feedback │
│ D │ Product Lead/CPO │ Roadmap decisions │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
TECHNOLOGY/VENDOR DECISIONS:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Role │ Typical Assignment │ Notes │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ R │ IT/Engineering │ Evaluation, recommendation │
│ A │ Security │ Security requirements │
│ │ Legal │ Contract terms │
│ │ Finance │ Budget approval │
│ P │ IT/Engineering │ Implementation │
│ I │ End users │ Requirements, usability │
│ │ Ops │ Integration needs │
│ D │ CTO/CIO │ OR Department Head │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
BUDGET/RESOURCE DECISIONS:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Role │ Typical Assignment │ Notes │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ R │ Requesting Dept │ Business case, options │
│ A │ Finance │ Budget authority │
│ P │ Finance/Ops │ Allocation, tracking │
│ I │ Affected teams │ Impact assessment │
│ D │ CFO/CEO │ Based on authority level │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
POLICY/PROCESS DECISIONS:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Role │ Typical Assignment │ Notes │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ R │ Policy owner │ Draft, stakeholder input │
│ A │ Legal │ Compliance requirements │
│ │ HR (if people- │ Employment law, fairness │
│ │ related) │ │
│ P │ HR/Ops │ Rollout, training │
│ I │ Affected employees │ Feasibility, concerns │
│ │ Managers │ Implementation burden │
│ D │ Exec sponsor │ OR CEO for company-wide │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Section 4: RAPID Implementation Guide
RAPID IMPLEMENTATION PLAYBOOK
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
STEP 1: IDENTIFY DECISIONS THAT NEED RAPID
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Good candidates for RAPID: │
│ ☐ Cross-functional decisions (multiple teams involved) │
│ ☐ Recurring decision types (can template once) │
│ ☐ Decisions that have historically been stuck │
│ ☐ High-stakes decisions │
│ ☐ Decisions with unclear ownership │
│ │
│ RAPID may be overkill for: │
│ ☐ Simple, low-stakes decisions │
│ ☐ Decisions within a single team │
│ ☐ Urgent decisions (just need a D) │
│ ☐ Decisions with obvious ownership │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
STEP 2: CREATE A RAPID CATALOG
Mapping decision types to standard RAPID patterns:
| Decision Category | Decision Types | Default RAPID Pattern |
|-------------------|----------------|----------------------|
| Hiring | New hire, Promotion, Term | Hiring pattern |
| Spend | Software, Vendors, Travel | Budget pattern |
| Product | Features, Priorities, Cuts | Product pattern |
| Policy | HR, Security, Operations | Policy pattern |
| _____________ | _____________ | _____________ |
| _____________ | _____________ | _____________ |
STEP 3: SOCIALIZE THE FRAMEWORK
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ KEY MESSAGES TO COMMUNICATE: │
│ │
│ TO LEADERSHIP: │
│ "RAPID will accelerate decisions by making clear who │
│ decides what. Your role is to ensure the right D is │
│ assigned and to back their decisions." │
│ │
│ TO DECISION MAKERS (D): │
│ "You have authority AND accountability. Make timely │
│ decisions. You can overrule recommendations but you │
│ own the outcome." │
│ │
│ TO INPUT PROVIDERS (I): │
│ "Your perspective is valued and will be considered. │
│ The D may decide differently—that's not a rejection │
│ of your input, it's weighing multiple factors." │
│ │
│ TO AGREE PARTIES (A): │
│ "Your approval is required in your domain. Be clear │
│ about requirements upfront. Don't delay without │
│ good reason." │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
STEP 4: PILOT AND REFINE
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PILOT CHECKLIST: │
│ ☐ Select 2-3 decision types to pilot │
│ ☐ Document current state (how long decisions take) │
│ ☐ Apply RAPID to next 5-10 decisions │
│ ☐ Gather feedback from all role holders │
│ ☐ Measure improvement in decision velocity │
│ ☐ Refine patterns based on learnings │
│ ☐ Expand to additional decision types │
│ │
│ METRICS TO TRACK: │
│ • Decision cycle time (before vs after) │
│ • Number of decisions made per period │
│ • Stakeholder satisfaction │
│ • Decision quality (reversal rate) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Section 5: RAPID Troubleshooting
RAPID TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
PROBLEM: Decisions still take too long
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ POSSIBLE CAUSES: │
│ ☐ Too many A's (each one adds friction) │
│ → Audit: Can any A become I? │
│ ☐ Input gathering takes too long │
│ → Set hard deadlines; proceed without if needed │
│ ☐ D is avoiding making decisions │
│ → Coach D on decision velocity; escalate if needed │
│ ☐ Scope creep (decision keeps expanding) │
│ → Reframe: What's the minimum viable decision? │
│ ☐ Analysis paralysis │
│ → Ask: What would we need to decide today? │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
PROBLEM: People feel left out
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ POSSIBLE CAUSES: │
│ ☐ Not explicitly listed on RAPID │
│ → Ensure all stakeholders see the RAPID chart │
│ ☐ Input was asked for but not visible in decision │
│ → Show how input was considered (even if not followed) │
│ ☐ People expect A role but are actually I │
│ → Have explicit conversation about role distinction │
│ ☐ Decision made without proper input gathering │
│ → Enforce R's responsibility to consult I's │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
PROBLEM: D makes bad decisions
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ POSSIBLE CAUSES: │
│ ☐ Wrong D assigned (lacks context or authority) │
│ → Reassess: Who should actually decide this? │
│ ☐ D not getting quality recommendations │
│ → Coach R on better analysis and presentation │
│ ☐ D ignoring Input │
│ → Ensure I's are providing input in useful format │
│ ☐ D lacks decision-making skills │
│ → Training, coaching, or reassess D assignment │
│ │
│ REMINDER: D is accountable for outcomes │
│ If decisions are consistently poor, escalate to D's manager │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
PROBLEM: A is blocking decisions
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ POSSIBLE CAUSES: │
│ ☐ A is using veto power outside their domain │
│ → Clarify: A only has veto in their specific area │
│ ☐ A is being asked too late in process │
│ → Engage A earlier; get requirements upfront │
│ ☐ A's requirements are unclear │
│ → Ask A to define criteria for approval BEFORE R begins │
│ ☐ A has legitimate concern not being addressed │
│ → Work with R to address concern, not circumvent A │
│ │
│ ESCALATION PATH: │
│ If A and D disagree, escalate to their shared manager │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
PROBLEM: R recommendation is ignored repeatedly
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ POSSIBLE CAUSES: │
│ ☐ R's analysis is not rigorous enough │
│ → Coach on decision document quality │
│ ☐ R doesn't understand D's priorities │
│ → More alignment between R and D on criteria │
│ ☐ R is biased toward certain outcomes │
│ → Ensure R presents options objectively │
│ ☐ D has information R doesn't have │
│ → D should share context that changes the calculus │
│ │
│ HEALTHY PATTERN: │
│ D overrides R sometimes (that's their prerogative) │
│ D always overrides R (broken process—investigate) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
RAPID Quick Reference Card
RAPID QUICK REFERENCE
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
R = RECOMMEND
• Analyzes options, makes recommendation
• One person or small team
• Owns the analysis, not the decision
A = AGREE (use sparingly!)
• Has veto power in specific domain
• Usually Legal, Finance, Security, Compliance
• Each A slows the process—minimize
P = PERFORM
• Implements the decision
• Should provide feasibility input to R
• May overlap with R
I = INPUT
• Provides perspective and data
• Considered but NOT binding
• Can be many people
D = DECIDE
• Makes the final call
• ALWAYS only ONE person
• Accountable for outcome
QUICK DIAGNOSTIC:
☐ Is there exactly ONE D?
☐ Does D have actual authority?
☐ Is every A truly necessary?
☐ Do all role holders know their role?
☐ Is there a clear timeline?
RAPID Health Dashboard
| Metric | Current | Target | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decisions with clear RAPID | ___% | 90%+ | ↑↓→ |
| Avg decision cycle time | ___ days | <5 days | ↑↓→ |
| Decisions blocked by A | ___% | <10% | ↑↓→ |
| Decisions escalated | ___% | <5% | ↑↓→ |
| Stakeholder clarity (survey) | ___/5 | 4+/5 | ↑↓→ |
| Decisions reversed | ___% | <10% | ↑↓→ |
Frequently asked questions
What is the RAPID Decision Matrix?
A template for clarifying decision rights using RAPID methodology.
Who is the RAPID Decision Matrix for?
It is built for Cross-Functionals and their teams working on Meetings. The AI coach adapts it to your company, stage, and goals.
What's included in the RAPID Decision Matrix?
6 working sections: Overview; Section 1: RAPID Role Definitions; Section 2: RAPID Assignment Templates; Section 3: Common RAPID Patterns; Section 4: RAPID Implementation Guide; Section 5: RAPID Troubleshooting.
How long does the RAPID Decision Matrix take to use?
It saves roughly 20+ hours versus building from scratch. Our AI coach can tailor the template to your situation in minutes, then hand you a step-by-step plan.
Is the RAPID Decision Matrix free?
Yes. You can read the full template and start getting coached through it for free. Sign in to save your tailored version and track your next steps.
How does the AI coach help with the RAPID Decision Matrix?
The coach teaches you the framework, asks a few questions about your business, tailors the template to you, and gives you measurable next steps to execute.