reading-notes

Diversity & Inclusion in the Tech Industry

1. What occurred during the same time as the beginning of the decline of women in computer science?

   The explosion of the personal computer industry. Computers were marketed primarily as toys for boys and created a cultural stereotype that computers were for boys and not for girls.

2. Why does it matter that males had been playing on computers growing up?

   It perpetuated the stereotype that computers and technical programming languages were seen as masculine. As a result, many girls were discouraged from pursuing computer science careers and the field became increasingly male-dominated.

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1. When are diversity efforts most successful?

   Diversity efforts are more successful when they are integrated into the fundamental values and practices of a company or organization. This involves prioritizing diversity at all levels, including hiring and promotions, as well as the way work is conducted and decisions are made. When diversity is genuinely valued and incorporated into the company culture, it results in a more inclusive and innovative workplace, leading to increased employee engagement and retention.

2. Why do diverse companies perform better?

   Studies have shown that companies with diverse workforces tend to perform better because they bring together people with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, which leads to a more creative and innovative workplace. This can be attributed to the fact that people with different experiences and ways of thinking approach problems in different ways, which can lead to more effective problem-solving and decision-making.

   Additionally, a diverse workforce can better understand and serve diverse customers, which can lead to increased customer loyalty and sales. Companies that prioritize diversity and inclusion tend to have a better understanding of the needs and preferences of different customer segments, which allows them to tailor their products and services to meet those needs more effectively.

3. Give an example of how a diverse company can serve a diverse user base or vise-versa.

   A well known example of how a diverse company can serve a diverse user base is the makeup brand Fenty Beauty, founded by Rihanna in 2017. The artist says that “Fenty Beauty by Rihanna was created for everyone: for women of all shades, personalities, attitudes, cultures, and races. I wanted everyone to feel included.” By prioritizing diversity in its product offerings, the company has been able to build a loyal global customer base that includes a wide range of people from different backgrounds and skin tones. Fenty Beauty is the highest-earning celebrity-backed beauty brand with $570 million yearly revenue.

   Photos from an experiment by Elizabeth Lin in 2018 showing the undiversity of makeup. Elizabeth scraped Sephora’s foundation section on their website and sorted them to demonstrate the lack of diversity in their products and marketing. She used Python for both the scraping and image creation.

   ### Every Shade from Every Brand on Sephora:

   

   ### Shades from Fenty Beauty: