Free Book Review About Talking About Machines: Why Technicians Love Their Work

According to Orr, technicians love their job because of the nature of their profession. In many cases, technicians work under little or no supervision where they can implement their ideas in repairing the machines rather than rely on a manual. They work independently and apply their personal management ideas. Furthermore, they schedule their work and manage their time and records for accounting purposes. Their work is unpredictable in nature. For this reason, people cannot schedule a technician. Their job experience advances each time they handle a new job because each case differs from the previous jobs. Technicians perceive unhappy customers as opportunities for them to develop their skills. They do not shy away from unhappy customers of erratic machines as they take the opportunity to develop their skills in repairing machines.
The interesting fact regarding technicians is that when machines function effectively nobody bothers to look for them. The author claims that in such cases, technicians remain invisible until when the photocopier or computer becomes faulty and work cannot continue. Orr presents technicians as members in an occupational community. Their focus lies on their work and not the organization. The technicians value the status of a full member within the occupational community. They also aim to earn the reputation of a competent technician. The satisfaction of a technician lies in their ability to solve challenges that other technicians could not. They pride in their ability to detect problems in machines where other technicians and support team could not.
The modern workplace encourages the computerization of activities and use of machines to unify the services. With that situation, what does the organization do when the machines fail to function? Such situations support the need for technicians within the organization. An organization should hire technicians in equal numbers to the engineers. The approaches of technicians show well-coordinated functions with low supervision. In terms of workplace supervision, it implies that workers can remain productive under low supervision. Technicians bring in innovation into the organization and that proves their resourcefulness.
John Searle too has contributed to the issue of computers at the workplace as he talks about artificial intelligence. In “Chinese Room,” by Searle, he challenges the issue of intelligence and artificial intelligence as shown by machines. He argues about human communication and the relationship with intelligence. Following instructions in the process of communication enables an individual to assume intelligence. In the Chinese room scenario, if the individual follows communication instructions he may present himself as a Chinese speaker. That situation shows intelligence as the ability to communicate and benefit from the communication. In this context, language emerges as an important tool communication and at the workplace. Based on Searle`s contribution, one can understand the need for communication between technicians. When they communicate, they brainstorm about the problems they have encountered with machines. They also achieve in creating an occupational community within themselves and communication helps them to maintain the bond in the community. Artificial intelligence provides a forum for communication between an individual who has knowledge regarding a particular field and another who only has the basic skill to communicate. The individual with artificial intelligence presents falsified knowledge. They cannot deliver more than the little they have been programmed to deliver.
Lucy Suchman develops ideas in the fields of feminism and the role of females in science and technology. She further develops her ideas to cover the society. Suchman presents the idea of human computer interactions. She continues to show how human computer interactions enable people to address the problems of situation awareness. Suchman suggests that computer professionals should take their place in social responsibility. The social responsibility of computer professionals revolves around research in the society and designing systems that solve social problems. Computer professionals understand the interaction between man and machines. They have a responsibility in designing interactive models that make work and interactions easier. Based on this concept, technicians should repair faulty machines to ease the work for other individuals. They should also redesign faulty computers to make them usable. The importance of human computer interactions lies in the usability of the machine. Technicians should work with computer professionals to develop usable systems. The collaboration ensures that the computer professionals understand the problems that technicians experience in repairing the machines.