SHOWCASE
Superbots Program Showcase
Students reimagine and design more inclusive voice assistant personalities with guidance from Monash Faculty of IT and industry mentors from Women in Voice ANZ.
Design Thinking
The design thinking process allows students to critique and explore what is missing in real-world voice assistants. It challenges them to reimagine new and more inclusive personalities that better suit users.
Girls gain an understanding of how the humanities and social sciences are intrinsically embedded in the design and implementation of voice technologies.
They design a prototype voicebot that they can access at home. It allows them to demonstrate new skills to their families and friends, in a fun and engaging way. As a project, it demonstrates a body of work they have created, which can be included in future course and job applications.
Technology
Tools generously provided by an Australian voice-technology start-up, and those created by Monash Tech School, support the development of new voicebot personalities.
Students explore current voice-based technologies, test and unpack what works for them as users, but most importantly unpack what is missing in these popular platforms from their perspectives.
A voice synthesiser developed by Monash Tech School provides students with an ability to generate and test new voices that reflects the unique personality of their voicebot. Students modify the speed, pitch, and loudness of the voice before uploading to TalkVia One.
The program demonstrates how emerging and future technologies require skill sets drawn from what are traditionally considered “Arts” subjects, and how a double degree can allow girls to pursue both social sciences and IT interests at University level.
Industry Mentors
Women in Voice mentors from across Australia inspire young girls to aim high, challenge stereotypes and pursue new pathways into the IT industry.
The Superbots Industry Immersion provides an introduction to professional and academic industry mentors who ensure the girls have a positive workshop experience.
Passionate industry professionals, excited to lift female participation in the sector, support the girls in their work. The mentors provide feedback, in a kind, specific and helpful manner. The embedded activity demonstrates the value of early career networking to students who may not yet hold a part-time job or participated in university outreach programs.
This interaction encourages girls to consider double-degree pathways into the IT industry when considering study options in the future.
Connection to Industry Pathways
The Superbots Industry Immersion Day empowers girls to explore real-world pathways and future-focussed options into the IT industry.
The day includes a careers and pathways segment, with an opportunity for students to hear from the Monash University’s Faculty of IT Student Recruitment Coordinator. In addition, a Q&A session with the WiV mentors provides the girls with an opportunity to ask questions about careers and pathways.
Including a Pathways session ensures students have a solid understanding of what the next step might be, should they wish to pursue a course and career in the voice tech industry. The girls are encouraged to keep their study options open and to consider emerging jobs that are in demand, highly creative and support communities.
Students gain a digital badge, which reflects their participation in a co-designed Monash Tech School and Monash University Faculty of Information Technology designed sprint
