Cognitive Overload? How Big Brother Manages Too Much Information

Can't think straight? Chances are you have cognitive overload. Work roles that require multi-tasking and switching between modes of communication can overstretch brainpower. Telltale signs are altered speech patterns and blinking more slowly. Now new technology, based on research from the University of New South Wales, is helping managers select the right candidates for jobs and identify when workers are overloaded. In call centres, the smart software can even reallocate work. Not everyone will be comfortable with "big brother" watching, but experts say this is one way of avoiding the fallout from too much information.