Accountability
From a cited source
Being the person who must explain and justify what was done, and answer for the outcome, to someone with the authority to ask.
Origin. UK Government Functional Standards glossary (2024): the accountable person "is required and expected to justify actions or decisions to a person or body with greater authority". (UK Government (Government Functional Standards) (2024))
How I use it. In my company it always sits with a person. An agent can carry responsibility; it cannot carry this.
Not to be confused with
- Responsibility: the obligation to get the work done; it can be handed to an agent.
- Liability: a legal consequence, decided by law and contracts, not by how I organise the work.
Example. The audit agent prepared every document. I took the audit and answered the auditors.