Common Questions About the Framework and the Research
Questions about the framework, the research behind it, how organizations apply it, and how to engage MLC Advisory.
What is Human Performance Intelligence?
Human Performance Intelligence (HPI) is an integrative research framework for understanding how performance systems in organizations stabilize, degrade, and adapt under the conditions created by AI-enabled work. It draws on occupational health science, organizational psychology, and cognitive performance research to map the mechanisms through which modern work environments affect how people think, sustain effort, and maintain performance over time.
HPI was developed by MLC Advisory and is grounded in peer-reviewed research, including foundational work published on SSRN by Dr. Juliane Nitsche and Michel Moutier.
What are the five pillars of HPI?
The HPI framework is structured around five interconnected performance dimensions: Cognitive Load and Attention, Psychological Safety and Trust, Autonomy and Agency, Recovery and Sustainability, and Meaning and Purpose. Each pillar captures a distinct mechanism through which organizational conditions affect human performance, and the five interact dynamically rather than operating in isolation.
A full description of each pillar, including its theoretical basis and how it manifests in practice, is available on the Framework page.
How does HPI differ from existing performance models?
Most performance frameworks focus on either individual capability (skills, traits, motivation) or organizational structure (processes, incentives, design). HPI addresses the interaction between human performance systems and the work environment, with specific attention to the conditions created by AI adoption, information density, and role ambiguity in modern organizations.
Where conventional models often treat performance as a capacity to be developed, HPI treats it as a system property that can be protected, degraded, or restored depending on organizational conditions. This makes it more actionable for organizations navigating AI transition, where the environment itself is changing rapidly.
Is HPI relevant outside of AI transformation contexts?
Yes. While HPI was developed with particular attention to the performance challenges that emerge during AI adoption, its five-pillar structure addresses conditions that affect human performance in any high-change, high-demand work environment. Organizations undergoing restructuring, rapid scaling, or significant role change will find the framework applicable regardless of whether AI is the specific driver.
What is the academic foundation of HPI?
HPI is grounded in a synthesis of research across occupational health psychology, cognitive science, and organizational behavior. The foundational paper by Dr. Juliane Nitsche and Michel Moutier, available on SSRN, establishes the theoretical basis for the framework, reviews the relevant empirical literature across each pillar, and articulates the interaction logic between the five dimensions.
The research program continues with planned papers addressing measurement methodology, intervention design, and longitudinal outcomes across the five pillars.
Where can I read the original research?
The foundational HPI paper is publicly available on SSRN. Full citation details and a direct link are available on the Research page. A plain-language summary of the paper's main arguments and findings is also available there for readers who want an accessible introduction before engaging with the full academic text.
Are additional research papers planned?
Yes. The HPI research program includes several planned papers extending the framework into areas including diagnostic methodology, pillar-specific intervention design, and cross-organizational outcome studies. An overview of planned publications is available on the Research page.
How is HPI used in organizations?
Organizations use HPI as a diagnostic and planning framework during periods of significant change, particularly AI adoption. The five-pillar structure provides a shared language for identifying where performance systems are under pressure, prioritizing interventions, and tracking whether conditions improve over time.
In practice, this means using the framework to structure readiness assessments, design change programs that address human performance conditions alongside technical rollout, and build accountability structures that hold leadership responsible for the conditions their teams work in, not just the outputs they produce.
Who is HPI designed for?
HPI is designed primarily for organizational leaders, HR and people strategy functions, and change management practitioners working in mid-to-large organizations navigating significant transformation. It is most immediately relevant for organizations actively planning or executing AI adoption, where the conditions affecting human performance are changing faster than conventional frameworks can track.
The framework is also used by researchers and practitioners in occupational health, organizational psychology, and management consulting who work on performance, wellbeing, and organizational change.
Can HPI be used for individual performance assessment?
HPI is primarily a framework for understanding organizational conditions, not individual capability. Its diagnostic logic focuses on whether an organization's environment supports or degrades human performance at the systems level, rather than evaluating individual employees against performance criteria.
That said, the five pillars provide a useful lens for individuals who want to understand how their own performance is being affected by organizational conditions, and several of the framework's concepts translate directly to personal practice, including approaches to cognitive load management, recovery, and the protection of meaningful work.
What services does MLC Advisory offer?
MLC Advisory is a Luxembourg-based human performance and wellbeing consultancy co-founded by Dr. Juliane Nitsche and Michel Moutier. The firm works with organizations on the human conditions of AI adoption, including readiness diagnostics, leadership development, and organizational change programs structured around the HPI framework.
Full details on MLC Advisory's services are available at mlcadvisory.com.
How do I engage MLC Advisory for organizational work?
Inquiries about MLC Advisory services, organizational programs, or partnership opportunities can be made through the contact form on this site or directly via mlcadvisory.com. For research and media inquiries related to the HPI framework specifically, the Contact page on this site is the right starting point.
Where is MLC Advisory based, and what languages does the team work in?
MLC Advisory is headquartered in Luxembourg. The team works in English, French, and German, reflecting both the firm's Luxembourg base and the international scope of its client work across European and global organizations.