Assign responsibilities

The skill and its purpose

A responsibility map prevents a coordinator’s general involvement being mistaken for authority over every decision. The site representative may confirm measurements, the brand owner may approve wording, and the buyer may accept external spend. Those decisions can involve the same person, but their scope still matters. A useful map describes what must be decided and what information that decision requires.

Work through the decision

List the campaign gates: scope, site data, artwork content, technical suitability, external commitment, access and final receipt. Name one accountable decision-maker and a deputy for each. Add the exact version or record they will review, a target response date and the effect of delay. Where authority is unclear, record an unresolved ownership question rather than allocating it by convenience.

Practical exercise — fictional

A fictional rollout coordinator receives “looks good” from a store manager about a poster proof. The brand team owns the wording and the buyer owns spend. Build a three-row responsibility map and decide which approval the manager’s comment can support. Identify the decisions still needed before the provider receives a production instruction.

Take it to the next job

• Map decisions rather than job titles.
• Name accountable owners and deputies.
• Specify the version and review scope.
• Keep outstanding authority questions visible.