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.

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