 TelematicMix by Sejal Chad, Beatrice Gibson, Adrian Ward Human Capital is a piece of voice [text.sound] composition software [packaged and potentially marketed[?] as a training tool for use by India based teleworkers] that parodies the ‘communication philosophies’ of the call centers, namely their concept of a generic globalised [market?] identity. At the same time the software hopes to explore in its potential for text sound composition the [...] [ go to project page ] TelematicMix Featured by Annina Rüst. The main component of TelematicMix is "Human Capital" which parodies training software for Indian call center agents. It features the simplistic views and company-jargon that form the basis of these applications and their marketing to potential customers. The first part is a "setup assistant" - a kind of psycho test to determine thes suitability of a potential worker for a call center job. By asking suggestive questions and providing a seemingly multiple choice of answers, the mindset of the machine-worker-machine is set up. The second part is designed for employees to practice generic sentences in answering the calls of American sounding customers. This part resembles a audio sequencer software. The voice bits can be arranged so that wildly absurd combinations ensue. At the same time the playback function is reminiscent of the frequently heard announcement that "this call may be recorded for training purposes" and the intrusion into worker's privacies resulting from these kinds of "training purposes". Human Capital is playful and humorous in describing the absurdities of training software and encouraging resilience. It could be a bit less benign. Still, Human Capital directs awareness to the professional deformities that every day company madness inflicts on data-workers (whether they work in call centers or not). by annina ruest, posted 14 Nov 2004 |
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