Phase 3 — Model Cards and System Cards
The "read the ecosystem" phase begins here. Labs publish dense documents about their models; this phase makes you fluent in extracting the decision-relevant facts — capabilities, limits, safety, license, cost — in minutes, and recording the decision so it's defensible.
Why this phase matters
After Phases 1–2 you understand models mechanically. Now you must read what publishers say about them — and read it skeptically (cards are written by the seller). This skill gates every model choice in Phases 4–5 and every enterprise-readiness review.
Documents
| # | Document | Type | What you'll be able to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00 | How to Read Model Cards | Concept | Decode the four document types; extract the right facts |
| 01 | How to Read System Cards | Concept | Turn safety disclosures into guardrail decisions |
| 02 | Google DeepMind Model Card Guide | Concept | Pick Gemini variant/channel; verify long context |
| 03 | Anthropic System Card Guide | Concept | Read Claude cards; handle extended thinking + retention |
| 04 | Hugging Face Model Card Guide | Concept | Evaluate open models for self-hosting (stage/format/license) |
| 05 | Unsloth Model Page Guide | Concept | Read quant/MTP claims skeptically; verify on your hardware |
| 06 | Model Card Checklist | Reference | A copy-paste 5–10 min reading checklist |
| 07 | Model Selection Memo Template | Template | Record a defensible, reproducible decision |
00–05 follow the full 15-section template. 06 (checklist) and 07 (memo) are intentionally reference/template artifacts — copy-paste tools, like the glossary and cheatsheets (how-to-use-this-guide).
How to work through it
Read 00–01 (the general skills), then the publisher guides 02–05 for the ecosystems you use. Keep 06 and 07 open as you go. The lab in each concept doc produces real artifacts — completed checklists, a system-card readiness note, and at least one full selection memo.
Phase 3 artifacts
- Completed model-card checklists for ≥3 models (lab, HF, provider)
- A system-card enterprise-readiness note + provider-vs-you responsibilities table
- A Gemini variant/channel decision and a Claude extended-thinking trade-off table
- An open-model self-hosting decision (stage/format/license/memory)
- An Unsloth quant claim verified on your own hardware
- At least one full Model Selection Memo for a real use case