# Best practices for effective questions
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Well-formed questions produce the most relevant and complete responses. The guidance below helps you get the most value from Assurance Assistant.

## Frame questions with the shared responsibility model in mind
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AWS operates under a Shared Responsibility Model: AWS is responsible for security *of* the cloud; customers are responsible for security *in* the cloud.

Frame your questions to clearly distinguish what you are asking about AWS's responsibilities versus your own responsibilities as a customer. Assurance Assistant addresses what AWS does – its security controls, compliance posture, and operational practices. Questions about customer-side implementation are outside its scope.

Interpret responses with the same lens: a response describes what AWS does and is responsible for. Your organization remains responsible for the controls you implement on top of AWS services.

## Make each question self-contained
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Assurance Assistant treats each question independently. To ensure you receive the most complete and accurate response:
+ Make each question **atomic and complete** – include all context needed for a full, standalone answer within the question itself.
+ Do not rely on context from previous or subsequent questions. There is no carry-over of information between questions.
+ Include the relevant AWS service name, compliance framework, or specific control area directly in the question.

## Tips for high-quality responses
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+ **Be specific and include relevant context** – Name the AWS service, security control, or compliance standard. For example: "How does Amazon S3 encrypt data at rest?" rather than "How is data encrypted?"
+ **Ask one clear question at a time** – Avoid compound or multi-part questions within a single submission.
+ **Use industry-standard terminology** – Where possible, align your phrasing with common compliance vocabulary to improve matching.
+ **For bulk uploads** – Ensure each row in your XLSX file contains a complete, clearly articulated question.

## Additional resources
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The following resources provide additional context and support for using AWS Artifact and related compliance tools:
+ [AWS Artifact console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/artifact/home) – Access Assurance Assistant and all AWS Artifact features.
+ [What is AWS Artifact?](what-is-aws-artifact.md) – Overview of the AWS Artifact service.
+ [AWS Shared Responsibility Model](https://aws.amazon.com/compliance/shared-responsibility-model/) – Understand the division of responsibilities between AWS and customers.
+ [AWS Compliance Programs](https://aws.amazon.com/compliance/programs/) – Browse the full list of AWS compliance certifications and attestations.
+ [AWS Services in Scope by Compliance Program](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/general/latest/gr/aws-service-information-for-compliance-programs.html) – Check which AWS services are in scope for specific compliance programs.
+ [AWS Support](https://aws.amazon.com/contact-us/) – Contact AWS for additional support through your existing support plan.