Adapted from Reflecting Justice’s “Racially Equitable Decision-Making Process” by Moneek Bhanot and Colleen Klus
Developing an intentional decision-making framework and/or process is a key way to ensure that power is shared with intention and that the people most impacted by decisions are centered in the decision-making process. At rootid, we use a DACI model comprised of Driver(s), Approver(s), Contributor(s) and Informed. The below outlines this practice while also sharing flexible recommendations you can adapt depending on the circumstances of the decision being made, who is involved in the process and the nature of the decision.
Determine Your DACI Roles
An equitable decision-making process is transparent and has a clear communication plan with a timeline that’s actively and clearly communicated to stakeholders.
Driver(s)
To determine the Driver(s) for a decision, people can volunteer, or recommend someone. Some factors to consider include capacity and/or the connection to someone’s role/responsibilities. Once that person has given their consent to being the Driver(s), they will move the process forward in collaboration with the contributors and approver. This person:
- Coordinates logistical processes for decision-making including setting up accessible meetings with meeting agendas in advance and meeting notes available afterwards
- Sets a decision timeline that ensures ample time to discuss questions
- Ensures inclusive, safe, and accessible processes for feedback (e.g. survey, virtual/in-person meetings, anonymous options for input, etc.)
- Manages transparent communications to all stakeholders including information on avenues for input, progress on decision-making, and the final decision itself with rationale and context
- Provides ample time to discuss the decision at hand and in different ways (e.g. via email, in meetings, etc.)
Approvers
The approvers are the people who approve the final decision made by the contributors. At rootid, we believe you must minimally have 2 approvers so that both the power and responsibility never falls on the shoulders of only one person. For any decision, it should be transparently stated who the final approvers are for any decision and why. The approvers are responsible for ensuring that the most impacted people are centered in the decision-making process.
Informed
When determining who is informed, there are various groups to consider:
- Participants in the decision-making process: How will the driver(s), approvers, and contributor(s) keep one another informed about progress in the decision-making process? Best practices include transparently sharing notes and access to all discussions with one another.
- People impacted by the decision: Who are the groups impacted by this decision, and how will progress and information be shared with them before, during, and after the decision. How are avenues for input being communicated?
Other stakeholders: What other internal and external stakeholders need to be informed about the decision-making process, final decision, and rationale? Consider staff, grant partners, members, board members, other philanthropy organizations, potential partners, etc.
Things to Consider
The responsibilities associated with each role should be shared transparently, and accepted by the people or groups involved before work begins. Disagreements about expectations can delay and impact decision-making, so taking the time to ensure clarity and agreement up front benefits the whole process. Please note that multiple roles can be assigned to one person.
To ensure equity, the DACI group can ask:
- Have we identified all the contributors needed in this decision-making process? Who is represented? Who is not?
- Does this process center the stakeholders most impacted by the decision? (e.g. implementing staff, members, grant partners, etc.)
- How have we mitigated power dynamics to ensure folks with the least identity and/or positional power have been prioritized in this process? How have we centered the stakeholders most impacted by the decision in terms of role, position, and identity?
- What process will be used to make the decision (e.g. by consensus, majority vote, subset of contributors decide, etc.)
- Have we ensured inclusive, safe, and accessible options for feedback (e.g. survey, virtual/in-person meetings, anonymous options for input, input through different modalities, etc.)?
- How will input be gathered (survey, virtual/in-person meetings, anonymous options for input, etc.) and how those inputs will be used in the decision-making process.
- Do we have a process to ensure accessible meetings with agendas in advance and meeting notes available afterwards?
- Have we given ample time to discuss the decision at hand and intentionally uncover and talk through tensions or sticking points for this decision? Have we set a timeline that ensures ample time to discuss the decision in different ways (e.g. email, in meetings, etc.)? Ample time means that every person who is impacted and providing input has the context needed and has the time to consider and share their response. Note that ample time will be different depending on the nature of the decision.
- Have all contributors to this process had a chance to share concerns through multiple venues, and have those concerns been addressed?
- Is this decision aligned with our mission, vision and values?
- What are the intended and potentially unintended outcomes of this decision? Have we considered all of the potential impacts that we’re aware of? Do we need more time to consider the impacts?
- Who benefits from this decision? Who is adversely impacted? Does this decision have a disparate impact on particular groups?
- Does this decision prioritize staff well-being?
- Is this decision financially viable? Do we have resources that exist or can resources be acquired to implement this decision?
- Are we rushing this decision for any reason? Is this the right time for this decision, or is there a better time?
Communicate the Final Decision
Once a decision has been made, the Driver(s) (on behalf of the DACI Group) will share about both the process and outcomes of the decision transparently. Communications will include:
- DACI roles and the process for determining those roles
- What input was gathered, in what formats, and from whom
- How those inputs were used in the decision-making process
- What types of constraints and considerations impacted the decision (e.g. budget/resources, timeline, etc.),
- What decision was ultimately made, the full rationale, and its anticipated impact
- A process for answering questions about the decision-making process, and collecting feedback on the process as well
Hope this tool was helpful. Please let us know if you want help building agenda templates or other internal communications tools for your organization!