ABOUT ML Reference Document
To share your ideas, suggestions, and other feedback related to this evolving document, please reach out to Sarah Villeneuve, Lead of Fairness, Transparency, Accountability & ABOUT ML. Learn more about the origins of ABOUT ML and contributors to the project here.
Section 0: How to Use this Document
Section 0: How to Use This Document
This ABOUT ML Reference Document is a reference and foundational resource. Future contributions of the ABOUT ML work will include a Library of specifications, guides, recommendations, templates, and other meaningful artifacts to support ML documentation work by individuals in any and all of the roles listed below. Use cases made up of various artifacts from the Library along with other implementation instructions will be packaged as Pilots for PAI Partners to try out in their organizations. Feedback from their use of these cases will further mature the artifacts in the Library and will support the ABOUT ML team’s continued, rigorous, scientific investigation of relevant research questions in the ML documentation space.
Recommended Reading Plan
Recommended Reading Plan
Based on the role a reader plays in their organization and/or the community of stakeholders they belong to, there are several different approaches for reading and using the information in this ABOUT ML Reference Document:
| Role | Recommendations |
| ML system developers/deployers | ML system developers/deployers are encouraged to do a deep dive exploration of Section 3: Preliminary Synthesized Documentation Suggestions and use it to highlight gaps in their current understanding of both data- and model-related documentation and planning needs. This group will most benefit from further participation in the ABOUT ML effort by engaging with the community in the forthcoming online forum and by testing the efficacy and applicability of templates and specifications to be published in the Library and Pilots, which will be developed based on use cases as an opportunity to implement ML documentation processes within an organization. |
| ML system procurers | ML system procurers might explore Section 2.2: Documentation to Operationalize AI Ethics Goals to get ideas about what concepts to include as requirements for models and data in future requests for proposals relevant to ML systems. Additionally, they could use Section 2.3: Research Themes on Documentation for Transparency to shape conversations with the business owners and requirements writers to further elicit detailed key performance indicators and measures for success for any procured ML systems. |
| Users of ML system APIs and/or experienced end users of ML systems | Users of ML system APIs and/or experienced end users of ML systems might skim the document and review all of the coral-colored Quick Guides to get a better understanding of how ML concepts are relevant to many of the tools they regularly use. A review of Section 2.1: Demand for Transparency and AI Ethics in ML systems will provide insight into conditions where it is appropriate to use ML systems. This section also explains how transparency is a foundation for both internal accountability among the developers, deployers, and API users of an ML system and external accountability to customers, impacted non-users, civil society organizations, and policymakers. |
| Internal compliance teams | Internal compliance teams are encouraged to explore Section 4: Current Challenges of Implementing Documentation and use it to shape conversations with developer/deployment teams to find ways to measure compliance throughout the Machine Learning Lifecycle (MLLC). |
| External auditors | External auditors could skim Appendix: Compiled List of Documentation Questions and familiarize themselves with high-level concepts as well as tactically operationalized tenets to look for in their determination of whether or not an ML System is well-documented. |
| Lay users of ML systems and/or members of low-income communities | Lay users of ML systems and/or members of low-income communities might skim the document and review all of the blue-colored How We Define boxes in order to get an overarching understanding of the text’s contents. These users are encouraged to continue learning ABOUT ML systems by exploring how they might impact their everyday lives. Additional insights can be gathered from the Glossary section of this Reference Document. |
Quick Guides
Quick Guides
Example
Throughout this ABOUT ML Reference Document, we will use coral callout boxes with text to further explain a concept. This is a readability enhancement tactic recommended by our Diverse Voices panel and is meant to make the content more accessible and consumable to lay users of machine learning systems.
How We Define
How We Define
Example Term
Throughout this ABOUT ML Reference Document, we will use the blue callout boxes with text to showcase our accepted (near-consensus) definition of a term or phrase. This is meant to give foundational background information to viewers of the document and also provides a baseline of understanding for any artifacts that may be derived from this work. Additional terms can be found in the glossary section. Future versions of this reference and/or artifacts in the forthcoming Library will explore audio/video offerings to support the consumption of this information by verbal/visual learners.
Contact for Support
Contact for Support
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about this effort, please reach out to us by:
- Signing up through our Expression of Interest form
- Placing a general inquiry on our Contact Page
Visiting our ABOUT ML page to make contributions to the work