Decision Authority Matrix¶
| Owner | Classification | Review Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDO Office | Confidential | April 2027 | Active |
Decision Authority Matrix¶
Owner: CDO Office
Last Updated: April 2026
Classification: Internal
Purpose¶
This matrix defines who has authority to make, approve, or be consulted on decisions within the CDO division. It removes ambiguity about escalation paths and prevents decisions being made at the wrong level.
DACI key:
-
D — Driver: Owns the process, gathers input, drives to a decision
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A — Approver: Makes the final call; can veto
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C — Consulted: Input required before decision is final
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I — Informed: Notified after the decision is made
Technology & Architecture¶
| Decision | CDO | Acting CTO | Head of Arch | Squad Tech Lead | ARB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adopt new technology / framework | I | A | D | C | A |
| Approve Architecture Decision Record (ADR) | I | C | D | C | A |
| Grant architecture exception | A | C | D | C | A |
| Define coding standards | I | C | D | C | A |
| Select cloud provider / region | A | C | D | — | C |
| Approve new operator API integration pattern | I | C | D | C | A |
| Approve technology radar movement | I | C | D | C | A |
| Approve platform-level dependency upgrade | I | A | C | D | C |
Product & Delivery¶
| Decision | CDO | CPO | Head of Product | Product Manager | Digital Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Set quarterly product roadmap | A | D | C | C | C |
| Prioritise squad backlog | I | C | A | D | — |
| Change scope of in-flight initiative | C | A | C | D | I |
| Launch new product feature (G4 gate) | A | C | C | I | I |
| Accept/reject a story before sprint | I | I | C | D | — |
| Define Definition of Done | I | C | C | — | D |
| Approve BRD / Epic Definition of Done | I | A | C | D | — |
Corridor & Market Expansion¶
| Decision | CDO | CSNO | CPO | Acting CTO | Digital Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proceed from G1 to G2 (spike go/no-go) | C | A | C | I | D |
| Proceed from G2 to G3 (requirements complete) | C | C | A | C | D |
| Proceed from G3 to G4 (controlled launch) | A | A | C | C | I |
| Proceed from G4 to G5 (full scale) | A | A | C | C | I |
| Halt a live corridor | A | A | — | C | — |
| Select operator for a corridor | I | A | C | C | — |
People & Organisation¶
| Decision | CDO | HRD | Head (direct) | Digital Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approve headcount increase | A | C | D | I |
| Hire at G1–G4 (individual contributor) | I | C | A | — |
| Hire at G5–G6 (senior / lead) | C | C | A | — |
| Hire at G7+ (principal / head) | A | C | D | — |
| Approve reapplication outcome (role change) | A | C | D | I |
| Approve contractor engagement | A | C | D | — |
| Performance improvement plan initiation | C | A | D | — |
| Involuntary exit | A | A | D | — |
Vendor & Commercial¶
| Decision | CDO | CFO | Legal | Head (domain) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approve new vendor (< USD 50k) | A | I | C | D |
| Approve new vendor (USD 50k–250k) | A | C | C | D |
| Approve new vendor (> USD 250k) | C | A | C | D |
| Sign commercial agreement with operator | C | C | A | D |
| Terminate vendor relationship | A | C | A | D |
| Approve open-source licence exception | I | — | C | D |
Security & Compliance¶
| Decision | CDO | Head of InfoSec | Head of Compliance | ARB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approve security exception | A | D | C | C |
| Accept residual risk (significant) | A | D | C | — |
| Approve data processing agreement | C | C | A | — |
| Respond to regulatory audit finding | A | C | D | — |
| Approve penetration test scope | C | A | D | — |
| Classify a data asset | I | C | C | D |
Escalation Path¶
If the Approver is unavailable, decisions escalate one level up (e.g., Head → CDO). Decisions that remain unresolved after one cycle are escalated to the CDO Leadership Team.
No decision should be made without an identified Approver. If this matrix does not cover a decision type, bring it to the CDO Leadership Team — do not default to inaction.
Next review: July 2026 (quarterly) | Amendments via CDO Office