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DOC-07 User Requirements Document
User Requirements Document
What the users of a post automation world need from the transition
Summary
This document records what the users of a post automation world need from the transition. It holds 55 requirements from 13 user groups: 8 groups of people and 5 non-human groups, which are wild animals, domesticated and farmed animals, plants and fungi, ecosystems and the Earth system. 29 requirements are rated Must, 22 Should, 2 Could and 2 Won't.
Animals, plants and ecosystems cannot state requirements. Theirs are written on their behalf, and each one names the human proxy that speaks for the group.
At v0.1 every requirement is a desk-based draft, drawn from published rights instruments, global targets and science. None has yet been confirmed by the people or the proxies concerned. That happens in the global consultation in Phase 0 (plan step P0-07).
Purpose and scope
The document states needs. It does not state solutions. The Solution Requirements Document sets out what the programme must put in place to meet these needs, and traces each solution requirement back to the IDs used here.
The scope is global and covers the whole transition, from the first pilots to the point where paid work is optional. It covers people alive now, future generations, and the non-human living world.
How the requirements were gathered
People
Requirements for people come from human rights instruments, ILO standards, the Sustainable Development Goals and the reports cited in the Draft plan. Where no instrument states the need, the source is given as a programme draft, and the requirement has to be tested in the consultation before it is baselined.
Animals, plants, ecosystems and the Earth system
Each non-human group has a named proxy: a scientific discipline, hosted by one of the programme's types of institution. The proxy states what the group needs to persist and flourish, using the best available evidence, and takes a precautionary view where evidence is thin.
A proxy does not weigh these needs against what people want. That judgement belongs to the Design Authority Lead and the Programme Board, with the proxy's advice on record. How proxies are appointed, and how conflicts of interest are handled, is still to be decided (decision D-11).
| User group | Proxy | Hosted by |
|---|---|---|
| Wild animals | Conservation biology (species specialists) | Conservation science bodies |
| Domesticated and farmed animals | Animal welfare science and veterinary science | Academia and research institutes |
| Plants and fungi | Botany and mycology (botanic gardens and seed banks) | Conservation science bodies |
| Ecosystems | Ecosystem ecology, with Indigenous and local knowledge holders | Conservation science bodies and Indigenous peoples' organisations |
| Earth system | Earth system and climate science | Academia and research institutes |
Future generations
People not yet born cannot speak either. They are represented by youth organisations and by an independent future generations function, following the UN Declaration on Future Generations of 2024.
User groups
| User group | Type | Who they are | Who speaks for them |
|---|---|---|---|
| All people | People | Every person alive during and after the transition. | Civil society and labour organisations, citizens' assemblies and the global consultation. |
| Children and future generations | People | Today's children and people not yet born. | Youth organisations and an independent future generations function. |
| Older people | People | People in later life, many of whom rely on pensions tied to past employment. | Organisations of older people, within Civil society and labour organisations. |
| Disabled people | People | Disabled people and people with long-term conditions, whose needs go beyond a universal floor. | Disabled people's organisations, within Civil society and labour organisations. |
| Workers and communities in transition | People | People and places whose livelihoods are being automated. | Labour organisations, and Regional and local governments. |
| Indigenous peoples | People | Peoples with distinct rights to land, resources, culture and self-determination. | Indigenous peoples' organisations. |
| People in low-income countries | People | People in countries with little automated capital or fiscal capacity. | Their National governments and Civil society and labour organisations. |
| Carers and families | People | People who do unpaid care work, and the households they support. | Carers' organisations, within Civil society and labour organisations. |
| Wild animals | Non-human | Wild vertebrates and invertebrates on land, in fresh water, in the sea and in the air. | Proxy: conservation biology (species specialists). |
| Domesticated and farmed animals | Non-human | Animals that live under human care, including in automated farming. | Proxy: animal welfare science and veterinary science. |
| Plants and fungi | Non-human | Wild and cultivated plants and fungi, including their genetic diversity. | Proxy: botany and mycology (botanic gardens and seed banks). |
| Ecosystems | Non-human | Forests, grasslands, wetlands, fresh water, oceans and soils as living systems. | Proxy: ecosystem ecology, with Indigenous and local knowledge holders. |
| Earth system | Non-human | The climate and the cycles of water, carbon and nutrients that keep the planet habitable. | Proxy: Earth system and climate science. |
Priorities
Each requirement has a MoSCoW priority:
| Priority | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Must | The transition fails, or causes unacceptable harm, without it. |
| Should | Important and expected, but the transition could proceed for a time without it. |
| Could | Desirable where resources allow. |
| Won't | Considered and left out of scope for this version, and recorded so the decision is visible. |
Must requirements are not traded against each other. Where two of them pull in different directions, the design has to satisfy both (see Conflicts between requirements).
Requirements of people
| ID | User group | Requirement | Why it matters | Priority | Source or proxy | Measure of success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UR-001 | All people | Every person has a secure income that is enough for an adequate standard of living, with no condition linked to employment. | Livelihoods cannot depend on paid work once work is automated. | Must | Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25; ILO Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202) | Every resident receives an income at or above the agreed adequacy benchmark. |
| UR-002 | All people | Every person has a safe, secure, affordable and adequate home. | A home is a precondition for health, dignity and taking part in society. | Must | Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25; UN-Habitat, World Cities Report 2026 | Every person has a home that meets the adequacy standard, with secure tenure. |
| UR-003 | All people | Every person can get healthcare free at the point of use. | Health underpins everything else people want to do. | Must | Sustainable Development Goal target 3.8 | The universal health coverage index meets its target in every adopting country. |
| UR-004 | All people | Every person has enough safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food. | Freedom from hunger is a basic right. | Must | Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25; Sustainable Development Goal 2 | No food insecurity in adopting countries. |
| UR-005 | All people | Every person has clean water and sanitation. | Both are essential for life and health. | Must | Sustainable Development Goal 6 | Everyone uses safely managed water and sanitation services. |
| UR-006 | All people | Every person has affordable, clean energy for household needs. | Energy underpins all other services. | Must | Sustainable Development Goal 7 | Everyone has access to clean household energy. |
| UR-007 | All people | Every person can travel to services, learning, community and work. | People need to move around to take part. | Should | UCL Institute for Global Prosperity, Universal Basic Services (2017) | Everyone can reach defined services within defined travel times at a price they can afford. |
| UR-008 | All people | Every person has a digital connection, a device and the skills to use them. | Services and participation increasingly run through digital channels. | Should | UCL Institute for Global Prosperity, Universal Basic Services (2017); UN Global Digital Compact (2024) | Everyone in adopting countries has meaningful connectivity. |
| UR-009 | All people | Every person can find purpose and contribute in ways that are recognised, such as care, creative, civic and scientific work. | Work now supplies meaning, status and community as well as income. | Should | Programme draft, to be tested in the global consultation (P0-07) | Measures of wellbeing and purpose hold steady or improve through the transition. |
| UR-010 | All people | People have a real say in how automation is used and how its gains are shared. | The transition is legitimate and fair only under democratic control. | Must | UN, Governing AI for Humanity (2024) | Participatory mechanisms exist and are used in every adopting country. |
| UR-011 | All people | People are protected from harm by automated systems, and can get accountability and redress when harm occurs. | Automation at scale multiplies the cost of failures. | Must | UN, Governing AI for Humanity (2024); International AI Safety Report 2026 | A safety certification regime and a working redress route are in place. |
| UR-012 | All people | People keep their privacy and control of their personal data. Support is never conditional on surveillance. | Payment and identity systems could be used to monitor or exclude people. | Must | Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 12 | Independent audit finds no surveillance condition on any entitlement. |
| UR-013 | All people | People are free to work, learn, care, create or rest without losing access to essentials. | Freedom to choose is the purpose of a post automation society. | Should | Programme draft, to be tested in the global consultation (P0-07) | No essential entitlement depends on what a person does with their time. |
| UR-014 | All people | No one's living standard falls below its current level because of the way the transition is sequenced. | The transition has to keep public consent. | Should | Programme draft, to be tested in the global consultation (P0-07) | No-detriment protection is applied to every entitlement that is migrated. |
| UR-015 | All people | Information about entitlements is available in people's own languages and in accessible formats. | People cannot claim what they cannot understand. | Should | Programme draft, to be tested in the global consultation (P0-07) | Information is available in every official language and in accessible formats. |
| UR-016 | All people | People can choose a service delivered by a human where that matters to them, for example in justice and advice. | Some services depend on human relationship and judgement. | Could | Programme draft, to be tested in the global consultation (P0-07) | A human option exists for each defined service. |
| UR-017 | Children and future generations | Every child has early years education, and every person has access to learning throughout life. | Learning is the basis of purpose and participation. | Must | Sustainable Development Goal 4; UN Convention on the Rights of the Child | A universal entitlement to early years education and lifelong learning is in place. |
| UR-018 | Children and future generations | Decisions take account of future generations and do not pass debt or ecological damage on to them. | The programme runs for decades, and later generations live with its results. | Must | UN Declaration on Future Generations (2024) | An intergenerational impact assessment is applied to every major decision. |
| UR-019 | Children and future generations | Children are protected from automated systems that exploit or manipulate them. | Children are especially exposed to persuasive technology. | Must | UN Convention on the Rights of the Child | A child safety standard is applied to every relevant automated system. |
| UR-020 | Older people | Income security and care in later life are maintained while pension systems change. | Many pensions are tied to employment histories. | Must | ILO Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202) | No older person's income falls while pensions are migrated. |
| UR-021 | Older people | Older people have human company and care. Automation supports this and does not replace it. | Loneliness is a serious risk to wellbeing in later life. | Should | Programme draft, to be tested in the global consultation (P0-07) | Care standards include a minimum of human contact. |
| UR-022 | Disabled people | All services and automated systems are accessible by design. | Inaccessible systems shut people out of their entitlements. | Must | UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities | Every programme service meets the accessibility standard. |
| UR-023 | Disabled people | Additional needs are met on top of the universal floor. | A flat floor does not meet unequal needs. | Must | UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities | Supplements are in place and taken up by the people eligible for them. |
| UR-024 | Workers and communities in transition | Workers get notice, income protection and retraining when their roles are automated. | People are being displaced before income floors exist. | Must | ILO Guidelines for a just transition (2015); IMF (2024) | Transition support is in place in every adopting country before Phase 2. |
| UR-025 | Workers and communities in transition | Places that depend on industries being automated keep their community institutions and identity. | Loss of a local economy adds to each person's loss. | Should | Programme draft, to be tested in the global consultation (P0-07) | Affected regions have place-based transition plans. |
| UR-026 | Workers and communities in transition | Workers have a voice in decisions about automation in their sector. | The people affected know the work best. | Should | ILO Guidelines for a just transition (2015) | Workers are represented in sector automation assessments. |
| UR-027 | Indigenous peoples | Free, prior and informed consent is obtained for any programme activity that affects Indigenous lands, resources or cultures. | Indigenous rights require it. | Must | UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007) | A consent protocol is applied and recorded for every relevant activity. |
| UR-028 | Indigenous peoples | Traditional knowledge and governance are recognised in the stewardship of land and nature. | Lands under Indigenous stewardship hold much of the world's remaining biodiversity. | Should | UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007); Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Target 3 | Indigenous peoples are represented on proxy panels and stewardship bodies. |
| UR-029 | People in low-income countries | People in every country share in the gains from automation, wherever the automated capital is owned. | The gains will otherwise concentrate in a few countries. | Must | IMF (2024); UN, Governing AI for Humanity (2024) | Global transfers reach every low-income country. |
| UR-030 | People in low-income countries | Countries can get automation technology, skills and infrastructure on fair terms. | Access to technology shapes future prosperity. | Should | UN, Governing AI for Humanity (2024) | Technology transfer and open standards arrangements are in place. |
| UR-031 | People in low-income countries | Financing the transition does not leave countries with unsustainable debt. | A transition paid for by debt would deepen inequality. | Must | Programme draft, to be tested in the global consultation (P0-07) | Transition finance for low-income countries is mostly grants. |
| UR-032 | Carers and families | Unpaid care work is recognised and supported. | Care is essential and mostly unpaid today. | Should | Programme draft, to be tested in the global consultation (P0-07) | Care is recognised in the design of contribution schemes and supplements. |
| UR-033 | Carers and families | Entitlements belong to individuals, not to households or heads of household. | Payments to households can entrench dependence and inequality between women and men. | Must | Programme draft, to be tested in the global consultation (P0-07) | Every entitlement is paid to the individual. |
| UR-054 | All people | Personal lifestyles and consumption are prescribed for everyone, for example through mandatory diets or rations. | Considered and left out of scope. Limits apply to production systems, and freedom of choice is a design principle of the programme. | Won't | Scope decision in this draft | Not applicable. |
| UR-055 | Workers and communities in transition | Current occupations are preserved as paid employment. | Considered and left out of scope. The programme secures livelihoods and supports displaced workers (UR-024). It does not preserve particular jobs. | Won't | Scope decision in this draft | Not applicable. |
Requirements of animals, plants, ecosystems and the Earth system
These requirements are written on behalf of users who cannot state them. The source column names the proxy for each.
| ID | User group | Requirement | Why it matters | Priority | Source or proxy | Measure of success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UR-034 | Wild animals | Wild species have enough intact, connected habitat to sustain viable populations. | Habitat loss is the main driver of biodiversity loss. | Must | Proxy: conservation biology (species specialists) | Indicators of habitat connectivity and population size hold steady or improve. |
| UR-035 | Wild animals | Autonomous vehicles, drones, farm machines and infrastructure are designed to avoid killing or disturbing wildlife. | Automation multiplies encounters between machines and wildlife. | Should | Proxy: conservation biology (species specialists) | A wildlife-safe design standard is adopted and monitored. |
| UR-036 | Wild animals | Light, noise, chemical and plastic pollution are reduced. | Pollution harms the health and behaviour of wildlife. | Should | Proxy: conservation biology (species specialists) | Pollution indicators fall against the baseline. |
| UR-037 | Wild animals | Programme activity causes no net increase in extinction risk, and extinctions caused by people are halted. | Extinction cannot be reversed. | Must | Proxy: conservation biology (species specialists); Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Target 4 | The Red List Index holds steady or improves. |
| UR-038 | Wild animals | Migration routes on land, in water and in the air stay open. | Many species need to move between habitats to survive. | Should | Proxy: conservation biology (species specialists) | Mapped migration routes are free of new barriers. |
| UR-039 | Domesticated and farmed animals | Animals in human care have good welfare throughout their lives. | Animals are sentient and have welfare needs. | Must | Proxy: animal welfare science and veterinary science | The welfare standard is met and audited. |
| UR-040 | Domesticated and farmed animals | Automated animal husbandry is monitored against welfare standards, with a human who is accountable. | Automation can hide welfare failures. | Should | Proxy: animal welfare science and veterinary science | Every automated system has a named accountable human role. |
| UR-041 | Domesticated and farmed animals | Food systems move away from keeping animals in poor-welfare conditions. | This reduces suffering and pressure on land. | Could | Proxy: animal welfare science and veterinary science | The share of animals kept in poor-welfare systems falls. |
| UR-042 | Plants and fungi | The genetic diversity of plants and fungi is conserved, in the wild and in collections. | Genetic diversity is the basis of resilience. | Should | Proxy: botany and mycology (botanic gardens and seed banks) | More of the known genetic diversity is conserved each year. |
| UR-043 | Plants and fungi | Soils and fungal networks are protected from degradation by automated land use. | Soils underpin plant life and food production. | Should | Proxy: botany and mycology (botanic gardens and seed banks) | Soil health indicators hold steady or improve. |
| UR-044 | Plants and fungi | Automated logistics and land management do not spread invasive species. | Invasive species displace native plants and fungi. | Should | Proxy: botany and mycology (botanic gardens and seed banks); Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework | The rate of new introductions of invasive species falls. |
| UR-045 | Ecosystems | At least 30 per cent of land, inland water, coastal and marine areas are effectively conserved by 2030, with more restoration after that. | States committed to this in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. | Must | Proxy: ecosystem ecology, with Indigenous and local knowledge holders; Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Target 3 | The 30 per cent target is met in adopting countries. |
| UR-046 | Ecosystems | Degraded ecosystems are restored. | Restoration recovers lost functions and species. | Must | Proxy: ecosystem ecology, with Indigenous and local knowledge holders; Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Target 2 | The restored area rises in line with targets. |
| UR-047 | Ecosystems | Freshwater flows and water quality are maintained. | Freshwater ecosystems are among the most threatened. | Must | Proxy: ecosystem ecology, with Indigenous and local knowledge holders | Indicators of freshwater flow and quality are met. |
| UR-048 | Ecosystems | The health of the oceans is protected, with sustainable fishing and no damaging extraction from the seabed. | Oceans regulate the climate and sustain life. | Should | Proxy: ecosystem ecology, with Indigenous and local knowledge holders | Ocean health indicators improve. |
| UR-049 | Ecosystems | Decisions that affect any non-human user are informed by its proxy before they are taken. | Without a voice in decisions, the other requirements of non-human users will be traded away. | Must | Proxy: ecosystem ecology, with Indigenous and local knowledge holders. Applies to every non-human group. | Proxy advice is recorded for every decision with an ecological impact. |
| UR-050 | Earth system | The material and energy footprint of automation stays within planetary boundaries. | Computing, robotics and mining add new pressures. | Must | Proxy: Earth system and climate science; planetary boundaries framework | The footprint of automation is reported and stays within its budget. |
| UR-051 | Earth system | Greenhouse gas emissions reach net zero and the climate is stabilised. | A stable climate is a precondition for every user. | Must | Proxy: Earth system and climate science; Paris Agreement | Net zero is reached in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. |
| UR-052 | Earth system | Automated hardware is designed for repair, reuse and recycling. | This reduces mineral extraction and waste. | Should | Proxy: Earth system and climate science | The circularity rate of automation hardware rises. |
| UR-053 | Earth system | Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution from automated agriculture stays within safe limits. | Nutrient flows are one of the planetary boundaries already crossed. | Should | Proxy: Earth system and climate science; planetary boundaries framework | Nutrient flows fall towards the boundary. |
Summary of requirements
| User group | Must | Should | Could | Won't | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All people | 9 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 17 |
| Children and future generations | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Older people | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Disabled people | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Workers and communities in transition | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Indigenous peoples | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| People in low-income countries | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Carers and families | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Wild animals | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Domesticated and farmed animals | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Plants and fungi | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Ecosystems | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Earth system | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| All groups | 29 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 55 |
Conflicts between requirements
Some requirements pull against each other. The table lists the conflicts found so far and how this draft proposes to handle them. The rule proposed is that the Must requirements of non-human users limit how the requirements of people are met. They are not items to trade away. Each conflict is logged in the RAIDD (risk R-16).
| Conflict | Requirements | Proposed handling |
|---|---|---|
| Homes for everyone and habitat protection | UR-002; UR-034, UR-045 | Build within existing settlements and retrofit first. No new housing on protected or high-value habitat. |
| Energy and materials for automation, and planetary boundaries | UR-006, UR-008; UR-050, UR-051 | A planetary footprint budget for automation infrastructure, reported in public. |
| Food for everyone, animal welfare and land for nature | UR-004; UR-039, UR-041, UR-046 | Favour high-welfare and plant-rich food systems, and restore land released from farming. |
| Paying everyone reliably, and privacy | UR-001; UR-012 | Identity and payment systems with privacy by design. No entitlement is conditional on surveillance. |
| Freedom to choose how to live, and ecological limits | UR-013; UR-050 | Limits apply to production systems and infrastructure. The programme does not prescribe lifestyles (UR-054). |
| No one worse off, and sharing gains between countries | UR-014; UR-029 | Fund global transfers from new gains from automation, not from cuts to existing living standards. |
Assumptions and constraints
- Requirements apply in every adopting country. How each is met can vary between countries.
- The measures of success are indicative. Phase 0 will set baselines and targets.
- Proxies can represent non-human users well enough for decisions to rest on their advice (assumption A-05).
- The requirements of non-human users have not yet been validated by the proxy bodies (issue I-06).
Acceptance and change control
The requirements will be baselined as version 1.0 at the end of Phase 0, after the consultation (plan step P0-08). The Programme Board approves the baseline. After that, the Design Authority Lead decides changes within tolerance, and changes to Must requirements go to the Programme Board. A requirement keeps its ID for life, and the ID of a withdrawn requirement is not reused.
References
The instruments named as sources of requirements are:
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations, 1948), Articles 12 and 25.
- ILO Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202).
- ILO Guidelines for a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all (2015).
- Sustainable Development Goals (United Nations, 2015): Goals 2, 3 (target 3.8), 4, 6 and 7.
- UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989).
- UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006).
- UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007).
- Paris Agreement (2015).
- Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022), Targets 2, 3 and 4 and the target on invasive alien species.
- UN Pact for the Future, with the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations (2024).
The reports named as sources are listed with links in the Draft plan: UN-Habitat (2026); UCL Institute for Global Prosperity (2017); UN (2024a); International AI Safety Report (2026); IMF (2024); Stockholm Resilience Centre (no date).
Related documents
The programme documents are listed below. The Control register holds the current version and link for each.
| Document | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Draft plan | Outline of the transition plan and the evidence behind it. |
| Next steps | Recommended steps to take the draft plan to a final version (Phase 0). |
| Plan | The programme's steps, with timelines, effort, owners and dependencies. |
| RAIDD | Risks, assumptions, issues, decisions and dependencies, with owners. |
| RACI | Who is responsible, accountable, consulted and informed, at high level and in detail. |
| PID | Project Initiation Document on a PRINCE2-style structure. |
| Solution Requirements Document | What the programme must put in place, with each requirement traced to the User Requirements Document. |
| Control | The document register: every programme document with its version, owner and link. |