> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://dev-docs.altrum.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Assessments

> Understand what an assessment of an AI system does, who can run one, and how it leads to live guardrails.

An assessment finds out what could go wrong with an AI system and what should be in place. You answer questions about the AI system in a conversation with Altrum's assistant. Your answers fill in Altrum's questionnaire, and submitting them finds the risks that apply, the controls that answer them, and the guardrails those controls switch on.

Assessments are optional. You can configure guardrails without one. An assessment never changes whether an AI system is active.

## Assess, then protect

<Steps>
  <Step title="Answer the assistant">
    The assistant asks one question at a time. Attach documents that describe the AI system if you have them. See [Run an assessment](/assessments/run).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Submit">
    When the assistant has what it needs, it asks whether to submit. Altrum finds the risks and controls, and switches on the guardrails in scope in your guardrail draft, set to **Log only**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the scope">
    Review the risks, add risks the assessment did not find, and see which guardrails are configured and which need your action. See [Assessment results](/assessments/results).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure guardrails">
    Add the assistant's suggested settings to your draft, set up the rest, and test. See [Guardrail suggestions](/guardrails/suggestions).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete the assessment">
    **Complete Assessment** makes your saved draft the live guardrail version and closes the assessment.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Who can run an assessment

Owners, admins and the AI system's owner can start an assessment, answer the assistant, change the risks and complete it. Every member can read the results.

One person works on an assessment at a time. When someone else has it open, you see their name and can read but not change it. If they leave without closing it, it becomes free again after a few minutes.

## Statuses

| Status | Meaning |
| - | - |
| **In progress** | The conversation is under way. |
| **In review** | The answers are submitted and the risks and controls are listed. You are reviewing the scope and configuring guardrails. |
| **Completed** | The guardrails went live and the assessment closed. |

An AI system has at most one open assessment.

## Re-assess

When the AI system changes, run its assessment again: on the AI system's page, choose **Start new assessment**. Earlier assessments stay in **Assessment history** with their results and conversations.


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