8bit.tr Journal
Model Cards and Transparency: Communicating Capabilities and Limits
A practical guide to writing model cards that communicate capabilities, limitations, and safe usage.
Why Model Cards Matter
Model cards clarify what a model can and cannot do.
They reduce misuse and build trust with customers and regulators.
Core Sections to Include
Describe intended use, limitations, and failure modes.
Document data sources, evaluation metrics, and safety tests.
Operational Transparency
Include monitoring metrics and update cadence.
List known risks and how they are mitigated.
Audience-Specific Detail
Provide a summary for non-technical readers.
Offer deeper technical details for enterprise and compliance teams.
Keeping Cards Current
Update model cards with each release.
Treat documentation as part of the release checklist.
Governance Workflow
Assign ownership so updates are not delayed by unclear responsibility.
Review model cards during release readiness checks.
Capture approval history for compliance audits.
Keep templates for consistent structure across models.
Require sign-off for changes that affect safety claims.
Store cards in version control with change history.
Link evaluations and tests directly inside the card.
Audit cards quarterly to ensure they reflect current behavior.
Define escalation paths when claims conflict with evaluation results.
Track who reviewed each section to improve accountability.
Maintain a checklist so no required section is skipped.
Store evidence links for key claims to improve traceability.
Distribution and Updates
Publish model cards where users can easily find them.
Provide summary versions for non-technical stakeholders.
Highlight breaking changes and new limitations prominently.
Use changelogs so readers can track updates over time.
Include contact points for questions or issue reporting.
Localize key sections if serving global audiences.
Archive older versions for transparency and traceability.
Track access metrics to see which audiences engage with the cards.
Add release dates to improve clarity for compliance teams.
Include a short risk summary for quick scanning.
Add a version badge to make updates obvious at a glance.
Provide a machine-readable card for automated audits.
FAQ: Model Cards
Are model cards mandatory? Increasingly yes in regulated industries.
How detailed should they be? Enough to guide safe usage.
What is the quickest win? Add limitations and intended use sections.
About the author
