The Worker Browser Lives!

I know if you’re reading this you’re a true fan. So I’d like to invite you to check out something we’ve been quietly developing for two years as part of the WORKING project. It’s called the Worker Browser, and according to our propaganda (which I wrote and therefore must live with) it “allows working people around the world to share and compare their work experiences.”

Which is true! Anyone with access to a computer can fill out a simple questionnaire and upload it to a database that can be manipulated in all sorts of intellectually and aesthetically pleasing ways. The topics are both objective (income, education, commute, etc.) and subjective (satisfaction, security, dream job). If you don’t want to add your profile to the mix, that’s fine; you can just explore what other people have posted. (I’ve never been able to describe it — if you go there and poke around I promise it will make sense!)

We’ve also begun uploading all the audio, photos, and reporters’ notebooks from the radio profiles that are airing every month on Marketplace. So theoretically you could spend hours there.

The url is http://working.homelands.org. It’s still in “beta” — we’ve been madly testing and editing it for the last few weeks (especially the last few days), and there’s still work to do. But it basically works, and we’re ready to start “populating” it with real people rather than fake Latin placeholders. Please do take a look and, if you’re brave enough, upload your own profile. And let us know what you think! We’ve never done anything remotely like this before.

The Worker Browser is designed by Thiago Demello Bueno of Made of People!, with lots of input from Sue Johnson, Matt Shultz, and yours truly. We’re excited to be working with the Global Affairs Club of the School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR School) at Cornell University — they’re basically in charge of spreading the word. But don’t hesitate to do that, too.

Jon

P.S. Just learned that Kelly McEvers’ profile of Agus, an Indonesian pirate, has been rescheduled for October 30. It’s worth the wait.