User Roles
Murmurd uses a role-based access control system with both organization-level and team-level roles. This guide explains each role and how to manage permissions.
Role Types
Organization Roles
Apply across the entire organization:
| Role | Description |
|---|---|
| Member | Standard access to assigned teams |
| Admin | Full organization access |
Team Roles
Apply within specific teams:
| Role | Description |
|---|---|
| Member | Standard team participant |
| PM | Product Manager, team leader |
| Manager | Oversight and escalation backup |
Organization Member
Standard organization-level role.
Permissions
| Action | Allowed |
|---|---|
| Submit check-ins | For assigned teams |
| View team activity | Based on visibility settings |
| Create escalations | For assigned teams |
| Set priorities | For assigned teams |
| Invite users | No |
| Manage teams | No |
| Access billing | No |
| Change settings | Own profile only |
Use Cases
- Individual contributors
- Most team members
- External collaborators
Organization Admin
Full administrative access.
Permissions
| Action | Allowed |
|---|---|
| All member permissions | Yes |
| Invite/remove users | Yes |
| Create/manage teams | Yes |
| Configure organization settings | Yes |
| Access billing | Yes |
| View all data | Yes |
| Manage integrations | Yes |
Use Cases
- Company leadership
- HR/People Ops
- IT administrators
Team Member
Standard team-level role.
Permissions
| Action | Allowed |
|---|---|
| Receive check-in prompts | Yes |
| Submit check-ins | Yes |
| View team activity | Based on visibility |
| Create escalations | Yes |
| Resolve escalations | Own only |
| Set weekly priorities | Yes |
| View team summaries | View only (on web) |
| Manage team settings | No |
Team PM (Product Manager)
Primary team leadership role.
Permissions
| Action | Allowed |
|---|---|
| All team member permissions | Yes |
| Receive escalations | First in chain |
| Resolve any escalation | Yes |
| Receive weekly summaries | Automatic delivery |
| Manage team questions | Yes |
| View all team check-ins | Yes |
Responsibilities
- Escalation triage: First to receive and address blockers
- Team health: Monitor participation and engagement
- Question management: Keep questions relevant
- Summary review: Digest and act on weekly insights
Best Practices
- Respond to escalations within 24 hours
- Review team activity daily
- Adjust questions quarterly
- Share relevant summary insights with team
Team Manager
Oversight and backup role.
Permissions
| Action | Allowed |
|---|---|
| All PM permissions | Yes |
| Backup escalation routing | When PM unavailable |
| Cross-team visibility | If Division Manager |
| Division summaries | If Division Manager |
Responsibilities
- Escalation backup: Handle when PM is away
- Cross-team coordination: If managing multiple teams
- Division oversight: If Division Manager
- Strategic guidance: Long-term team health
Division Manager
Special manager role with division-wide access.
Assignment
- Go to Settings → Divisions
- Select a division
- Assign a Division Manager
Permissions
| Action | Allowed |
|---|---|
| All team manager permissions | Yes |
| View all division teams | Yes |
| Receive division summaries | Yes |
| Final escalation routing | When team PM/Manager unavailable |
Changing Roles
Organization Role
- Go to Settings → Members
- Find the user
- Click Edit Role
- Select new role (Member or Admin)
- Save
Team Role
- Go to Settings → Teams → select team
- Go to Members tab
- Find the user
- Click Edit Role
- Select new role (Member, PM, or Manager)
- Save
Role Inheritance
Roles work together:
- Org Admin + Team Member = Full org access + specific team participation
- Org Member + Team PM = Limited org access + full team leadership
- Multiple team roles = Different access per team
Common Role Configurations
Small Startup (5-10 people)
- 1-2 Admins (founders)
- Everyone else: Member + Team Member/PM
Medium Team (10-50 people)
- 2-3 Admins (leadership + operations)
- Team leads as PMs
- Engineering managers as Managers
Large Organization (50+ people)
- 3-5 Admins (centralized)
- Division Managers per department
- PMs and Managers per team
- Clear escalation chains
Security Considerations
- Principle of least privilege: Give minimum necessary access
- Regular audits: Review admin access quarterly
- Offboarding: Remove access when people leave
- Separation of duties: Multiple admins for accountability
- Document changes: Use audit logs to track role changes
Troubleshooting
”User can’t access team”
- Verify they’re added to the team
- Check their org role isn’t restricting access
”PM not receiving escalations”
- Confirm PM role is assigned
- Check vacation status
- Verify team has PM assigned (not just Manager)
“Manager can’t see team data”
- Manager role is team-specific
- Assign them as Manager on the specific team