The words, in plain English.

AI agent

Software that uses AI to take steps towards a goal, such as searching, filling in forms or sending messages, rather than only answering a question.

AI output indemnity

A vendor’s promise to defend you if content its AI produced is claimed to infringe someone’s copyright. Usually limited to certain plans and conditions.

Capability

In our research, a piece of work with a clear input, transformation and output, and someone who answers for it. It can be any size, be done by a person, software, AI or a mix, and keeps its identity as the people or tools inside it change. Read more

Data tenure

Who holds the data an Element makes and uses: the organisation, the Element (leasing it back), both, an independent steward, or the Element until it hands it back at exit. Read more

Delegate the doing, keep the deciding

The principle that software and AI can do work, but people keep the deciding: an organisation keeps its intent, its authority, its accountability, what makes it distinct, and the ability to change its mind. Read more

Drift

When standards loosen quietly over time to keep hitting a number, so the record looks fine while the work gets worse.

Element (of work)

One capability on the Periodic Table of Work, at any level: it takes something in, transforms it and hands something on, done by a person, software, AI or a mix. Every Element can be broken down into smaller ones. Read more

Element card

The public record of a capability: what goes in, what happens to it, what comes out, what it is made of, who answers for it, its record and its failures. Published as an open format. Read more

Goodhart’s Law

Once a measure becomes a target, people find ways to hit the number that don’t deliver what it stood for. Named after the economist Charles Goodhart (1975, published 1976), whose case was monetary statistics; the popular wording is commonly credited to Marilyn Strathern (1997). Read more

Human in the loop

A person checks or approves what an automated system does before it takes effect. It only works if the person has the time, information and authority to say no.

Input, transformation, output

The shape of any piece of work: something comes in, something is done to it, something goes out. It is the basic model of operations management; describing work this way makes it comparable, whoever or whatever does it. Read more

Molecule, Formula

A Molecule is Elements bonded into something bigger, where each one’s product is the next one’s input. A Formula is what an organisation posts: the product it needs and what it can supply. Read more

Nucleus

The named person who answers for an Element, even when software or AI does all of the work. Always a person. Read more

Organisational digital twin

A working copy of an organisation, built from its own systems, that shows how work actually flows, who and what does it, what it costs and where it depends on one person. A person checks it before it is trusted. Not to be confused with digital twins of buildings or machines. Read more

Periodic Table of Work

Our proposed vocabulary for work, and a working table on this site: each capability is an Element, with what goes in, what happens to it, what comes out, who answers for it, and its record, failures included. The examples are invented. Read more

Shadow AI

AI tools staff use for work without the organisation knowing, often free versions on personal accounts. The risk is less the tool than what gets pasted into it.

Single sign-on (SSO)

Staff sign in to many tools with one work account, so access can be granted and removed in one place.

Titration (trial)

A small, measured trial of an Element before bonding: a set number of transactions or a set time, with the pass mark agreed first. Read more

Training on your data

When an AI vendor uses what you type or upload to improve its models. Business plans often switch it off; free and personal plans often don’t.

Verified, declared, projected

Three levels of claim. Verified: checked from records or by someone else. Declared: the owner says so. Projected: expected, not yet shown. Read more

Zero data retention

An arrangement where an AI provider doesn’t store your prompts or responses after answering.

Missing a word? Suggest one.