Decision-Making Meeting (DACI) Template

A decision-making meeting exists to make one clear call, not to discuss forever. The DACI framework keeps it accountable by naming who does what: the Driver who runs the process, the Approver who makes the final call, the Contributors who provide input, and the Informed who hear the outcome. This decision making meeting template puts DACI to work so a group can decide and move on.

When to use it

Use it for decisions that are important enough to need input but cannot be made by consensus. It shines when a team keeps revisiting the same choice, when ownership of a call is unclear, or when stakeholders feel left out of decisions that affect them.

Who attends

The Driver, the single Approver, and the Contributors whose expertise the decision needs, usually three to eight people. The Informed do not attend; they receive the outcome afterward. One Approver is essential. Two approvers means no decision.

How to run it

Frame the decision and its deadline first, then confirm the DACI roles so everyone knows their job. The Driver presents the options, trade-offs, and a recommendation grounded in data. Contributors offer input and raise concerns, debating trade-offs in the open. The Approver then makes the call and the team captures both the decision and the reasoning. Finish by confirming how the Informed group will hear about it.

Facilitator tips

• Name one Approver. Shared accountability for a decision usually means none.
• Separate input from the decision so Contributors advise but do not vote.
• Write down the reasoning, not just the choice, so it holds up later.
• Set a deadline and decide by it even with imperfect information.

Common mistakes

• Treating a decision meeting as a consensus exercise where everyone must agree.
• Leaving the Approver role ambiguous, so no one actually decides.
• Skipping the recommendation, forcing the group to start from a blank page.
• Forgetting to tell the Informed group, so the decision surprises them later.

Make decisions stick and keep the reasoning on record. Run it in OrgTP.