---
title: "Accountable vs responsible"
date: 2024-08-21
categories: ["Data Contracts","Accountability","Responsibility"]
source: https://andrew-jones.com/daily/2024-08-21-accountable-vs-responsible/
---

# Accountable vs responsible

The quality of a decision increases directly proportional to the degree to which the person is responsible.

If I tell you to do something, you're accountable but not responsible.
If you seek out the reasons why I'm telling you to do something, you're responsible.

If you've approved a PR, you're accountable.
If you've understood the reasons behind the PR and confirmed it meets those requirements, you're responsible.

If a team is told to create better quality data, they're accountable.
If a team knows why that quality data creates outsized value for the business, they're responsible.

If you're told you must use data contracts, you're accountable.
If you agree that by doing a little more upfront you'll be creating a better outcome for the business at reduced costs, you're responsible.

_Inspired by [Brain Food #558](https://fs.blog/brain-food/august-4-2024/)_

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P.S. I'll be speaking at the [Data Vault User Group conference](https://www.ukdatavaultusergroup.co.uk/data-vault-conference-2024/) near London on the 11th September, amongst some other great speakers. If you'd like to join you can use the discount code **SP50** for 50% off the conference ticket.