Model Governance

Model governance defines processes, roles and rules for the safe, transparent and accountable use of models, particularly machine learning models. It aims at compliance, reproducibility and continuous monitoring across the model lifecycle. Implementation requires clear policies, assigned responsibilities and technical tool support.

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Content type

Concept

Theoretical construct: explains a term, principle, or mental model.

Classification level

Structure

What organizes, connects, or makes decisions possible.

Available perspectives

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360°

In brief

Model governance in brief

Model governance is the set of rules and responsibilities an organization uses to control model development, approval, use, and oversight. It connects policies, roles, evidence, and escalation paths.

Where does it come from?

It grew from governance and risk-control practices in regulated organizations and expanded with data-driven and AI-based decisions. Principles such as the OECD AI Principles steer this evolution toward transparency, robustness, accountability, and human-centered use.

The mental model

Governance is a guardrail around the model lifecycle: before use, purpose, data, and risks are checked; during operation, decisions and deviations remain traceable; when issues arise, defined owners and correction paths take over.

Key building blocks

Accountability

Roles identify who owns model purpose, quality, approval, and consequences.

Lifecycle control

Control points cover development, validation, use, change, and retirement.

Traceability

Documentation and logs make data, decisions, and model changes auditable.

When is it useful?

Model governance enables dependable decisions about which models may be used, under what conditions, and when they must be monitored or withdrawn.

Wikipedia: Governance OECD: AI-Prinzipien MLflow — GitHub Repository

Why is this building block relevant?

Framework for controlling, monitoring and accountability of models, especially ML models.
Focuses on compliance, reproducibility and lifecycle control.