Designing Inclusive Organizations
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UX Fest 2018 Adaora Asala, Product Lead, Enterprise User Applications at Cogito Corp. Exploring the role product and design plays in helping organizations advance efforts to build and shape inclusive cultures where talent can thrive.
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Designing Inclusive Organizations
- 1. DESIGNING INCLUSIVE ORGANIZATIONS UXFEST 2018 BY SPECTRA ADAORA IJEOMA ASALA Twitter: @IAMSAIA
- 2. WHAT THIS TALK IS NOT ABOUT GUILTING YOU TO “DO BETTER” 1 THE ANSWER 4 BIZ CASE FOR DIVERSITY 2 MORAL ARGUMENT 3
- 3. I HAVE AN IDEA But first, you need some context.
- 4. Originally from Nigeria. Lived and worked in five continents. Professional experience primarily in global companies. HABITUAL BRIDGE-BUILDER That’s Me!
- 5. Tech Leader | Social Activist | Impact Entrepreneur TECH LEADER, ACTIVIST, ENTREPRENEUR
- 6. Reflections and Learnings from “World Product Day” LIFE AS PRODUCT INSPIRATION Multiple Truths (Holding Different Perspectives) Engaging “Experts” (Discern What’s Relevant) Code Switching (Finding Common Ground/Language) Contextual Identity (Experience vs Demographic) I’m a Walking Edge Case (Empathizing with Users) Most People are Good (Benefit of the Doubt)
- 7. 2012 Goodbye Boston + Lagos, Nigeria 2014 Hello Boston 2016 This problem resonates with me; I’ve spent my entire career (and life) searching for belonging. IN SEARCH OF BELONGING... 2013 Abuja, Nigeria Hello South Africa “Returnee” Harassment / Threats
- 8. Same old conversations about company cultures in the tech industry
- 9. On the flipside, I saw a whole lot of people (and companies) trying…
- 10. “When people keep repeating themselves, especially after you’ve provided a response, it’s often an indication that they still don’t feel heard--you haven’t solved their problem.”
- 11. A not-for-profit for leaders, investors, and scholars invested in innovating approaches to diversity and inclusion in the tech industry INTRODUCING CODE RED
- 12. I mapped this out as I was researching value messaging for code red WHAT I LEARNED: “ORG CULTURE” ECOSYSTEM Exec Leaders / CEO Functional Leaders HR / People & Culture ManagersManagers Board Members INTERNAL EXTERNAL Identity Associations Media Diversity & Inclusion Experts Identity Associations Venture Capitalists Other Companies Scholars
- 13. From conversations with Tech Professionals, Managers, Exec Leadership, D&I Experts, VCs 4 KEY INSIGHTS WE’VE BEEN SOLVING THE PROBLEM FOR COMPANIES, NOT TALENT 1 2 TOO MANY EXPERTS, NOT ENOUGH FACILITATORS 3 CULTURE PROBLEM SITS WITH HR (IT SHOULDN’T) 4 LANGUAGE IS ALIENATING / REINFORCING DISENGAGEMENT BUYER VS USER CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION USER RESEARCH & DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS / SHARED UNDERSTANDING
- 14. Product & design leaders are uniquely positioned -- and equipped -- to address tech’s culture challenges. Frameworks Language Mindset Motivation
- 15. REASON #1 Often without any context, experience, or domain expertise, we solve really hard problems every day. Frameworks
- 16. “It can be dangerous for a product manager to have too much domain expertise… People that have spent a long time building their mastery of one domain often fall into another common PM trap – believing that they can speak for the target customer, and that they are more like their target customer than they actually are.” -- Marty Cagan, Author of INSPIRED
- 17. REASON #2 Product design lingo is native and more familiar to tech teams than D&I jargon, which makes conversations more accessible. Language
- 18. To understand the problem space, I reached for a familiar toolkit TALENT EXPERIENCE JOURNEY MAP EXPOSURE TRAINING ACCESS SUPPORT SPONSORSHIP LEADERSHIP EARLY EXPOSURE ● Access to technology ● Encouraged to learn TRAINING & EDUCATION ● High school programs ● Bootcamps RECRUITMENT ● Campus Recruitment ● Recruitment Strategy ● Employer Brand INCLUSION ● Ramp-up support ● Adopting Values ● Learning & development PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT ● Performance Management ● Recognition & Rewards ● Professional Development EQUITY ● Senior Leadership ● Board Membership ● VC Funding EXAMPLE USE CASE ● Large, well-established ● Popular employer brand ● Bro culture, sexual harassment
- 19. There are as many truths about your product as there are users UNDERSTANDING THE TALENT EXPERIENCE B E L O N G I N G & F U L F I L L M E N T Opportunity Opportunity Opportunity Opportunity Opportunity Social Capital Social Capital Social Capital Social Capital UNEQUAL ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY Sample Goal A fair environment, where everyone can participate with equal access to opportunity to fulfill their potential. EXAMPLE
- 20. There are as many truths about your product as there are users UNDERSTANDING THE TALENT EXPERIENCE Sample Goal A fair environment, where everyone can participate with equal access to opportunity to fulfill their potential. Sample Mission Invest in initiatives that encourage participation & equal ACCESS to opportunity for everyone. Opportunity Opportunity Opportunity Opportunity Opportunity Social Capital Social Capital Social Capital Social Capital B E L O N G I N G & F U L F I L L M E N T EXAMPLE
- 21. REASON #3 We’re trained to be mindful of the power dynamics that influence “feedback” and to question our assumptions, always. Mindset
- 22. Designed to help product and design leaders ideate away without losing sight of the goal CASE IN POINT: THE OPPORTUNITY TREE DESIRED OUTCOME OPPORTUNITY OPPORTUNITY SOLUTIONSOLUTIONSOLUTIONSOLUTION RISKY ASSUMPTIONRISKY ASSUMPTION Experiment Experiment Experiment Experiment Experiment Experiment Source: Teresa Torres, Product Talk https://www.producttalk.org/
- 23. Designed to help product and design leaders ideate away without losing sight of the goal INCREASING WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP MORE WOMEN IN TECH LEADERSHIP MORE WOMEN CANDIDATES INCREASE VISIBILITY FOR WOMEN WOMEN SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM UNCONSCIOUS BIAS TRAINING FOR MANAGERS APPRENTICESHIPSBLIND INTERVIEWS POOR CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE DEBIASING → MORE WOMEN CANDIDATES Experiment Experiment Experiment Experiment Experiment Experiment Source: Teresa Torres, Product Talk https://www.producttalk.org/ EXAMPLE FUTURE ROADMAP ITEMS FAMILY LEAVE WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY OFFICE CULTURE (Values)
- 24. PLANNING FOR CHANGE EFFORT IMPACT Fixing Wage Gap for Women in Senior Leadership Roles Celebrating Women’s Day Invest in Employer Branding Feminine Care Products in Bathrooms Sexual Harassment Policy Formal Sponsorship Program EXAMPLE Slack Avatars (Inclusion for Remote Workers) Quiet Areas for Introverts Summer Event Series LOW HANGING FRUIT FILLERS Trans Roundtable INVEST THE TIME VANITY ACTIVITIES Operationalize Company Values Peer Recognition Program
- 25. REASON #4 We’ve learned that when we don’t engage re: diversity on our teams, we put our products, and users at risk. Motivation
- 26. REASON #4 We’ve learned that when we don’t engage re: diversity on our teams, we put our products, and users at risk. Motivation
- 28. One More Time Product & design leaders are uniquely positioned to help the tech industry address its culture challenges.
- 29. We are uniquely positioned and equipped (with the tools, language, mindset, and motivation) to address our industry’s culture challenges.
- 30. JOIN ME → D&I Design Sprint Series ○ Volunteer Companies ○ Volunteer Product & Design Leaders ○ Volunteer Advisory Team HELP YOUR COMPANIES ● Partner with HR ● Practice with your own teams INTERACTIVE TOOLKIT ● Interested designers, get in touch :) “With great power, comes even greater responsibility.” SO WHAT NOW?
- 31. "The real voyage of discovery consists, not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." - Proust
- 32. THANK YOU @IAMSAIA on Twitter