DETERMINING MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES | 1 

Determining Member Responsibilities 

The starting point for all well-functioning workgroups is determining what needs to get done and who’s 

going to do it. Collaborative teams are no exception. Clarifying expected member roles and 

responsibilities will both help you attract new members and retain existing members by ensuring that the 

time members dedicate to the work is well-spent and meaningful. 

This worksheet is designed to help collaborative workgroups of all sizes do two things: 

1. Connect planned workgroup activities with associated responsibilities 

2. Assign these responsibilities to individual members 

It includes a blank member responsibility worksheet followed by an example worksheet completed for a state epidemiological 

workgroup comprising members from multiple organizations and disciplines. 

Important Note: 

If possible, involve all group members in completing this worksheet. Clarify that the expectation for the exercise is not for all members 

to assume equal levels of responsibility, as different members will have differing levels of interest and time to devote to identified 

tasks. Be sure to present tasks and responsibilities as opportunities for participation, rather than expectations. If there are a significant 

Exploring Ways to Work Together 
DETERMINING MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES | 2 

number of tasks remaining once the team has finished completing the worksheet, consider recruiting additional members to fill those 

gaps or revisit these responsibilities at the next meeting, after members have had time to assess their bandwidth. 

Remember: What the workgroup is able to do will determine what it is going to do. 

DIRECTIONS 

• Make a list of all planned workgroup activities, as well as all sub-tasks associated with these activities. 

• In the chart below, list all current workgroup members in Column A.

• Identify each member’s role in prevention in Column B. 

• Have each workgroup member identify one or more planned workgroup activities to work on; list these in Column C.

• Have each member identify tasks associated with each activity for which they would like to be responsible. List these 

workgroup activity responsibilities in Column D. Responsibilities might include member recruitment, relationship-building,

meeting coordination, communication, and community capacity building. Note that individual members may work on several 

tasks and that some tasks may require the involvement of multiple members. 

• Write down in Column E any notes that will help to clarify member responsibilities (e.g., member availability, 

desired future responsibilities). 
DETERMINING MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES | 3 

DETERMINING MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES 

 Workgroup Activities: 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

A. Name B. Prevention 

Role 

C. Workgroup Activities D. Associated 

Responsibilities 

E. Notes 
DETERMINING MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES | 4 

Example 

A. Name B. Prevention 

Role 

C. Workgroup Activities D. Associated 

Responsibilities 

E. Notes 

Jenny Smith Epidemiologist • Determine data needs and 

gaps 

• Develop state and community 

epidemiological profiles 

• Data analyses 

• Report writing 

• Data presentation and 

dissemination 

Also interested in being 

involved with providing 

training and technical 

assistance to communities 

John Smith Epidemiological 

Workgroup Chair 

• Convene workgroup 

quarterly 

• Build and maintain workgroup 

membership 

• Meeting coordination 

• Communication 

• Member recruitment 

Josephine Smith NPN • Build and maintain workgroup 

membership 

• Establish prevention priorities 

• Member recruitment 

• Relationship building 

• Decision making 

Loves doing networking and 

relationship building 

Jerry Smith Grant Coordinator • Build and maintain workgroup 

membership 

• Member recruitment 

• Relationship building 

Jackie Smith State-level 

Prevention Services 

Director

• Establish prevention 

priorities 

• Coordinate with partners within 

state and access data 

• Decision making 

• Data access 

Will not be able to attend 

meetings between May and 

July 

SPTAC@edc.org | samhsa.gov/SPTAC