Write/Speak/Code 2016 - Shaving my head made me a better programmer

Given at Write/Speak/Code 2016.

How do perceptions and stereotypes affect those in software and on engineering teams? This talk tells the true story of how I hacked my appearance, by shaving my head, to change the way I was perceived as a programmer.

This talk also serves as a primer on unconscious bias and stereotype threat, and their effects on individuals and teams. I will provide actionable advice on how to make engineering teams more inclusive, more diverse, and thusly more productive, successful, and attractive to potential hires.

Transcript

1. shaving my head made
   me a better programmer
   @alexqin
   

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2. pt. I: me
   

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4. youtube
   

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5. wikipedia
   

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6. thenewstack
   

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9. engineer @skillshare
   educator @c4qnyc
   @scripted
   @womenwhocode
   @technovation
   

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10. pt. II: squad
    

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12. challenges we face
    

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13. impostor syndrome
    

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14. buzzfeed
    

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15. impostor syndrome
    • a collection of feelings of inadequacy that
    persist despite evident success
    • feel like a “fraud”, constantly at risk of being
    “found out”
    • an incorrect assessment of ones’ abilities
    

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16. not applying for jobs / promotions
    not submitting papers to conferences / journals
    understating experience & skills
    high stress
    over preparing
    attributing success to luck
    nervousness when meeting others in their field
    

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17. unconscious bias
    

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18. bbc
    

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19. unconscious bias
    • stereotypes about groups of people that form
    outside conscious awareness
    • vs. conscious bias
    • everyone has measurable biases, almost no one
    thinks they do
    • we must actively work against them
    

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20. stereotype threat
    

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21. xkcd
    

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22. stereotype threat
    • the risk of confirming a negative stereotype
    about one's group
    • we have multiple identities, we respond to the
    identity under threat
    • even when a stereotype is not explicitly
    mentioned
    

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23. building diverse and
    inclusive teams*
    * gender diversity
    

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24. “pipeline problem”
    

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26. “pipeline problem”
    • women held 37% of CS degrees in 1986
    • down to 18% today
    • 50% leave the field at some point in their career
    due to hostile work environments
    

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27. “leaky pipeline”
    nature.com
    

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29. attracting diverse
    candidates
    

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30. attracting diverse
    candidates
    • gather data - set goals - DO THE WORK
    • explicit & reasonable job descriptions
    • reaching “critical mass”
    

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31. giphy
    

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32. interviewing
    

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33. interviewing
    • diverse representation throughout the process
    • account for different communication styles &
    cultural backgrounds
    • mitigate stereotype threat
    • look for strengths instead of weaknesses
    • use a rubric
    • EAT BEFOREHAND
    

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34. retention &
    management
    

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35. retention &
    management
    • acknowledge & embrace differences
    • build confidence & trust
    • explicit mentorship, sponsorship & training
    • FAIR PAY
    

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36. Beverly Daniel Tatum
    “I sometimes visualize the ongoing cycle of
    racism as a moving walkway at the airport.
    Active racist behavior is equivalent to walking
    fast on the conveyor belt. Passive racist
    behavior is equivalent to standing still on the
    walkway. No overt effort is being made, but the
    conveyor belt moves the bystanders along to
    the same destination as those who are actively
    walking. But unless they are walking actively in
    the opposite direction at a speed faster than the
    conveyor belt – unless they are actively anti-
    racist – they will find themselves carried along
    with the others.”
    

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37. @alexqin
    engineer @skillshare
    educator @c4qnyc
    @scripted
    @womenwhocode
    @technovation
    

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