Karen Holtzblatt from InContextDesign.com outlines deep research into why women stay at technology companies. Discover what she's learned so far, and how you can participate in the research.

1. Karen Holtzblatt, CEO
karen@incontextdesign.com
Twitter: @kholtzblatt
www.incontextdesign.com
Karen Holtzblatt, CEO
karen@incontextdesign.com
Twitter: @kholtzblatt
www.incontextdesign.com
Sept, 2014
Women in Technology
Factors influencing work choices

2. The Tech Corporation
We keep trying to bring them in the door
Early Interventions:
• Community
• School
• College
• Outreach
But the problem is inside the work
Policy:
• Hiring
• Culture
• Women events
• Promotion
• Mentoring
50% leave the career within 12 years
(vs 20% non-STEM)
Women leave tech 2x the rate of men
30% leave because of the org climate

4. Field Research to find key factors
 A 360 deep dive inquiry into the daily lives
of women in tech
 Engineers, UX, Product Mgt, Researchers
 Managers and professionals
 Automotive, consumer, ERP, information
search, retail and more
 Single, Married, Kids
Quantitative survey of ~300 broaden data
The Women in Tech Project
Result: An action framework of key factors that keep women loving their work
 Six factors that companies can work on
A measure assessing women’s experience of each factor – Go take it!
 http://goo.gl/nV5Cyx
What’s next? You can help!
 More deep dive field data – use the measure – invent techniques to help your team
Or invite us in to help your company!

5. Programs must attack Process & People
The Corporation
Self-confidence
Success parameters
Promotion push
Work clarity
Psychological sense of community
Key
Process
Intervention
Points
My working team
Great
project
The Push
Support
The
Push
Key
Personal
Intervention
Points
Personal Power
Role Models

6. 6

7. No matter my job type I can’t be bored!
Real, tangible:
 Shipping product, hands-on making it, the next innovative thing, tangible data on
customer needs, real research for publication
Influential:
 Part of industry change, affecting the company, affecting people’s lives, important
to powerful people, totally new innovation, something I’ve used
Learning:
 New tech, about people, different roles…
Work valued by the company:
 I love my job – the team and company have to value it too!
New:
 I need change otherwise I’ll get bored.
Advances my career goal
 Work will make me more successful in my profession
What’s a stimulating project?

9. 9

12. Daily work affects confidence and success
The Corporation
• Self-confidence
• Promotion goals
• Success
• Better products
The Push
Psychological sense of community
Support
The Push
My working team
Great
project
Role Models

13. 13

18. Karen Holtzblatt, CEO
karen@incontextdesign.com
Thought leader in
user centered design
Championing the
Women in Tech Project