What does it take to live a human life?
Across 13 life domains, we continually encounter needs to fulfill, decisions to make and moments to act. This initiative focuses on the knowledge needed to understand the functioning of human capacity, the effects of surrounding conditions, and the institutional choices that enable us to maintain and expand our agency.
Protecting and strengthening human capacity
Alongside institutions, policymakers, researchers and practitioners, this initiative aims to shape policies, products, services and environments that enable people to develop, maintain, recover and strengthen their capacities throughout life.
Protecting Human CapacityWhat does a human life look like from the inside?
Every human being has a unique configuration of capacities, needs, experiences and responsibilities. Human Capacity helps us understand the person in front of us — and the life they are living.
Explore Human Capacity →
Functional Capacity
Development Across Life
Current availability
Needs and supports
The life being lived
No human life exists in isolation.
What becomes possible in a person’s life depends on the environments they encounter and the people and institutions around them.
How do we make Human Capacity visible?
Profiles, assessments, indexes and standards provide a shared measurement layer for people, situations and systems — so we can understand what is, and build what could be.
Explore Measurement →Human Capacity is a collective project.
The Human Capacity Consortium brings together the stakeholders who study, develop, employ, govern, support and shape Human Capacity.
Explore the Consortium →Educational institutions
Healthcare systems
Governments
Employers and industry
Communities and civil society
Faith and ethical institutions
Technology and system builders