In this article, the author discusses how educators can set the context of assessment conversations by looking at "well-lighted sites" for valuable, though certainly introductory, explorations that can set the stage for the more probing and more complex assessment work to come. The author suggests that in initial assessment conversations, it may be advantageous to address institutional areas that raise fewer turf issues and less personal or professional defensiveness than would be the case if one were to start with individual course and program reviews. Here, the author briefly identifies a few of these institutional sites and explores how their context and characteristics might contribute to a culture of assessment and accountability.