Lesson 1 of 19
Understand the governance journey
Identify the governance task your organisation needs next. Follow how preparation, assessment, a person’s decision and follow-up connect.
This lesson concerns artificial intelligence (AI) governance: how your organisation assigns responsibility, checks AI use and records decisions and follow-up. AI Governance keeps these records; it does not operate the external AI tool for you.
At the end of this lesson
- Identify the main governance tasks.
- Distinguish preparation, an assessment recommendation and human permission.
- Select a useful next task.
Before you begin
This lesson is for all learners. You can read and complete the paper activity without an account.
You need no earlier lesson, account or record. For optional workplace reading, sign in to the correct organisation and use records you can already access. This orientation does not require a record change. If access is blocked, record your proposed response in your notes and ask the responsible administrator to check access.
Key ideas
Governance is how your organisation assigns responsibility, checks AI use and records decisions and follow-up. An AI system is the product or service being used. A use case is the particular task that system supports, including who uses its output and the limits on its use.
An assessment examines the proposed use and produces findings and a recommendation. A human decision states what the responsible person permits, limits or stops. The recommendation supports that decision; it does not grant permission.
AI Governance records and assesses the work. It does not carry out the external AI task being assessed.
Follow these steps
1. Describe the task
Write one sentence about the work and the people who receive its output. Start with the work, before choosing a product.
Check the result: You can explain the proposed improvement and who could be affected.
2. Find the records
Check whether the product is already in the AI Register and whether this specific task has its own use case.
Check the result: You have the correct linked records, or a clear list of records still needed.
3. Check preparation
Identify the relevant policy version, screening and preparation records. Keep missing information visible rather than filling it with assumptions.
Check the result: You can separate known information, claims and preparation gaps.
4. Read the assessment basis
Look for the information selected for the saved assessment. Read Business value, People and work, Technology and data, and Risks and oversight before the combined recommendation.
Check the result: You know what the recommendation relied on and what it did not establish.
5. Find the human decision
Locate the responsible person’s recorded decision and its conditions. An AI recommendation cannot take this person’s place.
Check the result: You can state what is permitted, limited or stopped and which conditions remain open.
6. Choose the next task
Review the agreed trigger, such as a changed supplier or a failed check. Choose the lesson matching the next missing piece.
Check the result: You have a next action and know when the earlier decision needs reconsideration.
Practise
Paper activity — fictional information
Consider these six task cards: 'describe one task', 'record system and use case', 'check policy and information', 'review assessment findings', 'record the person's decision', 'review conditions and follow-up'. Put them in order and explain where a missing fact belongs.
Write your response in your own notes before opening the answer. You do not need to sign in, change records or run an assessment.
Check your understanding
The assessment recommends a limited test. Does that give the team permission to start?
Check your answer
No. The responsible person must record what is permitted, its scope and any conditions. A recommendation supports that decision. Reread Key ideas if recommendation and permission were treated as interchangeable.
For the card activity, use the order shown: describe the task; record system and use case; check policy and information; review assessment findings; record the person’s decision; review conditions and follow-up. Record a missing fact as a preparation gap, assign its check and retain the limitation in any later assessment.
Check your work
- Describe the connected journey.
- Distinguish recommendation from permission.
- Name their next task and lesson.
Continue learning
Optional worked examples
Sources
These National AI Centre resources inform the lesson. This course does not imply Australian Government endorsement.