Document the Model and the System

A file needs an evidence-backed operating manual

A model card documents model identity, intended uses, excluded uses, training-data summary where known, evaluation results, limitations, ethical considerations, and version. A broader system card documents the whole application: prompts, retrieval, tools, guardrails, human approvals, monitoring, and deployment environment.

identity: model + revision + quantization
intended: summarize internal runbooks for trained operators
excluded: autonomous remediation; legal or medical decisions
evidence: grounded-answer tests by category and language
limits: weak long-context recall; no live system knowledge
owner: AI platform team; review date: 2026-12-01

Documentation should state measured conditions rather than universal claims. 82% recall on dataset v4, English incidents from regions A/B is auditable; highly accurate is marketing language.

Analogy: An aircraft component is shipped with operating limits, maintenance intervals, test records, and compatible systems. A model artifact deserves the same seriousness when it influences consequential decisions.

Tip: Update documentation when data, model, prompt, tools, thresholds, or deployment scope changes. Versioned evidence should point to reproducible reports.