What the content blocks are for
When ALiF moved from a set of papers and companion documents to a standalone Standard, the new and revised text was drafted as separate, self-contained blocks. Each block is labeled with the section of the Standard it belongs in and with whether it is normative (part of what conformance means) or informative (explanation and context). Editors could then review, revise and assemble each piece on its own, and reviewers could see exactly which statements carry requirements.
The blocks are drafting material. The assembled Standard is the authoritative text; where the two differ, the Standard applies.
The ten blocks
| Block | Content | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scope and boundaries: what the Standard covers and does not cover | Normative |
| 2 | The six core principles | Normative |
| 3 | Definitions of the sixteen sub-competencies | Normative |
| 4 | Core level descriptors for each sub-competency | Informative |
| 5 | Role adaptation principles | Normative |
| 6 | Relationships between the components | Informative |
| 7 | Organizational-level theory (organizational learning debt) | Informative |
| 8 | Validation status statement | Informative |
| 9 | Normative language conventions (must, should, may) | Normative |
| 10 | Refinement clause | Normative |
Points worth knowing
Scope. Block 1 sets clear edges: ALiF is about working with AI as a professional user, evaluator and decision-maker. It does not cover building AI systems, general digital literacy, domain expertise, information literacy in general, or data science.
Role adaptation. Block 5 sets six principles. The structure (five components, three levels, sixteen sub-competencies) must stay the same in every role adaptation; descriptors, examples, assessment contexts and emphasis may change. Adding a new role does not require a new version of the Standard.
Refinement clause. Block 10 explains how validation evidence can change the Standard. Clarifying the boundary between two sub-competencies is a minor version change. Splitting, merging, adding or removing a sub-competency is a major version change, handled under the Versioning and Review Policy.
Organizational learning debt. Block 7 notes that the four dimensions it describes reflect a concept paper then under peer review and may change if review alters the dimensional structure.