A well‑defined assessment anchors your team on what needs to be reviewed, which controls or requirements matter, and how the results will be used. Without a clear scope, assessments can quickly turn into time‑consuming tasks that create noise instead of actionable insights. Today I’m excited to share a powerful new feature in the 6clicks Audits & Assessments module, allowing you to define an assessment’s scope to keep teams aligned and make every assessment count. Let’s explore this in detail and the value it brings to risk and compliance teams:
Assessments are traditionally manual processes that require careful planning, coordination, and the collection of evidence from multiple stakeholders. And when there are no clear parameters behind them, teams risk drifting into unrelated areas, duplicating effort, or overlooking key requirements. The result is often inconsistent data, wasted time, and outcomes that are hard to act on.
Imagine running a vendor risk assessment. Without a defined scope, you might end up reviewing unnecessary processes or overlooking critical controls. Establishing the assessment scope ties the process back to the relevant standards, security protocols, and assets, keeping the assessment focused and efficient.
An assessment’s scope sets the boundaries for what will be evaluated. It defines which areas, controls, requirements, or processes are included and clarifies how the results will be interpreted. The assessment scope helps you achieve the objectives you set for the assessment as it dictates:
The questions that will be asked
The evidence that will be collected
Expectations on insights to be gained
Defining the assessment scope upfront is critical because it ensures everyone involved shares the same understanding of what the assessment is meant to cover. By setting a clear scope from the start, you can:
Create sharper focus – Make the assessment more targeted and aligned with defined objectives or key priorities
Streamline collaboration – Ensure stakeholders contribute relevant input without overlaps, gaps, or weak spots
Drive better outcomes – Increase the likelihood of producing clear, actionable results
Save time and resources – Avoid unnecessary work by eliminating off‑track or duplicate efforts
To define the assessment scope, you first need clarity on the purpose of the assessment and the outcomes you want to achieve. From there, you can identify the specific frameworks, controls, or operational areas that should be included. A typical assessment scope includes:
The regulatory or internal requirements the assessment will be conducted against
The organizational scope, or the business units that will be covered
The technical scope, or the systems, processes, and controls under review
The types of evidence and data that will be collected
How results will be interpreted and reported
Clarifying these details from the start lays the groundwork for an assessment that is focused, repeatable, and easy to measure against future benchmarks.
Enter 6clicks’ latest feature, which enables users to define their assessment scope through metadata fields and data linking. This allows risk and compliance teams to capture the assessment scope and support it with relevant data, ensuring alignment from the very start of the process. This enhancement applies to both question-based and requirement-based assessments, introducing improvements such as:
A streamlined UI: The update includes a refreshed Assessment Builder page with a side panel cleanly divided into two sections — Overview and Linked Data.
Assessment description: Under the Overview tab, define the assessment scope in detail using the long‑text Assessment Description field.
Linked data at the assessment level: In the Linked Data tab, seamlessly link data sets such as authorities (standards and frameworks), assets, third parties, and custom register items to the entire assessment. This lets you clearly define the assessment coverage and easily view how the assessment connects to in‑scope GRC data.
Templated reporting support: Generate reports that reflect your defined boundaries in seconds. Filter using the Assessment Description and Assessment Linked Data fields to retrieve data that shows the assessment scope.
With these new capabilities, 6clicks makes it easier to run assessments that deliver greater value to your risk and compliance program.
Check out this short demo to see how it works:
Strengthen assessments with well-defined boundaries, use templates and AI-generated responses to accelerate the assessment process, and leverage powerful features to elevate your risk and compliance activities.