Chrissie, a US executive, is sent to a small UK town to oversee a downsizing and slowly realises she’s involved in something more sinister. Beth, a software engineer, is burnt out and tired of her employer taking liberties. Ultimately, both must make a choice.
Human Software is where Dave Eggers’ “The Circle” meet Ling Ma’s “Severance” in Gene Kim’s “The Phoenix Project”.
Human Software is a story about ambition and the cost of being human in an automated and increasingly AI-driven world.
“Could not be more of the moment. A proper page turner, part thriller, part whodunnit and a fine dystopian parable”
CHARLES HUMBLE, Tech consultant & Journalist at Conissaunce
IT’S MORE THAN JUST A JOB
BETH works for Gerbach an American logistics company based in South-East Kent, UK. When a new executive, CHRISSIE, arrives to carry out a savage restructuring, they both get more than they’ve bargained for.
HUMAN SOFTWARE is about how we connect at work, how engineers keep 365/24/7 systems running, and how companies can take advantage of our good nature and desire to go the extra mile.
FIND OUT MORE
“Absolutely gripping! A must-read”
LOVDEEP PANNU, CTO at Epicenter
SOFTWARE RUNS THE WORLD….BUT IT DOESN’T RULE OUR LIVES
Set in the fictional town of Sandport in Kent, UK. HUMAN SOFTWARE explores how corporate IT and software engineering are often caught trying to solve competing business objectives, or pandering to different executives’ machinations, always playing catch-up to industry hype, while always trying its best in the face of mounting pressure from customers. It is a glimpse behind the curtain to a world where decisions often don’t make any sense, where individual careers are made and ruined in a moment, and yet where the systems have to keep working 24/7.
RESISTANCE IS NOT FUTILE
In 2010, billionaire Marc Andreessen argued that “Software is eating the world” and kicked off an investment frenzy that directly led to the increased dominance of software in all of our lives. Whether it’s through our smartphones, televisions, dishwashers, or central heating systems, software is everywhere and controlled by a small group that essentially defines how we live our lives.
But what about the people who build and maintain the software? What happens when lives are on the line? The consequences can be dire, as we’ve seen in recent events such as the UK Post Office Horizon Scandal or the Boeing 737 Max. Who is responsible? Who is on the end of the phone? HUMAN SOFTWARE explores the consequences of dehumanising technology overtaking our ability to treat each other like people.
“Vivid world-building and well-rounded characters. I found myself completely hooked.”
RUSSELL MCLEAN, Emmy and BAFTA award-winning Producer
The Blog
Find out what’s happening in the world of Human Software
- Being Generous with Your Ideas
That time of year when you’re assessing things. How much… Read More »Being Generous with Your Ideas - Audiobook now available on Apple Books
HUMAN SOFTWARE is now available as an AI-voiced Apple Book… Read More »Audiobook now available on Apple Books - Reflections on Mr Bates vs The Post Office
Software increasingly runs our lives, yet business executives appear to… Read More »Reflections on Mr Bates vs The Post Office - What I’ve Learned Six Weeks After Publishing “Human Software”
Wrapping up a month or so of promotion for “Human… Read More »What I’ve Learned Six Weeks After Publishing “Human Software”