Tag Archives: Diversity and Inclusion

Hire for Diversity and Empathy to Drive Innovation

Hire for Diversity and Empathy to Drive Innovation

GUEST POST from Greg Satell

One of the questions I get asked quite often, both at conferences and when coaching executives, is what type of personality is best suited for innovation so that they can optimize their hiring. Are technical people better than non-technical people? Introverts better than extroverts? Is it better to hire foxes or hedgehogs?

The first thing I tell them is that there has been no definitive research that has found that any specific personality type contributes to innovation. In fact, in my research I have found that there is not even a particular kind of company. If you look at IBM, Google and Amazon, for example, you’ll find that they innovate very differently.

The second thing I point out is that every business needs something different. For example, Steve Jobs once noted that since Apple had always built integrated products, it never learned how to partner as effectively as Microsoft and he wished it would have. So the best approach to hiring for innovation is to seek out those who can best add to the culture you already have.

Foxes vs. Hedgehogs

In Good to Great, author Jim Collins invokes Isaiah Berlin’s famous essay about foxes and hedgehogs to make a point about management. “The fox,” Berlin wrote, “knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.” Collins then devotes an entire chapter to explaining why hedgehogs perform better than foxes.

Yet as Phil Rosenzweig points out in The Halo Effect, this is a highly questionable conclusion. Even if it were true that the most successful companies focus on one core skill or one core business, that doesn’t mean that focusing on “one big thing” will make you more successful. What it probably means is that by betting on just one thing you increase your chances of both success and failure.

Think about what would have happened it Apple had said, “we’re going to focus just on computers” or if Amazon had focused on just books. There is also evidence, most notably from Philip Tetlock, that foxes outperform hedgehogs on certain tasks, like making judgments about future events.

So the best strategy would probably be to hire a fox if you’re a hedgehog and to hire a hedgehog if you’re a fox. In other words, If you like to drill down and focus on just one thing, make sure you have people around that can help you integrate with other skills and perspectives. If you like to dabble around, make sure you have people who can drill down.

Introverts vs Extroverts

We tend to see leaders as brash and outgoing, but my colleague at Inc, Jessica Stillman points out that introverts can also make great leaders. They tend to be better listeners, are often more focused and are better prepared than social butterflies are. Those are great qualities to look for when adding someone to add to your team.

Still, you wouldn’t want to have an entire company made up of introverts and, in Social Physics, MIT’s Sandy Pentland explains why. Perhaps more than anything else, innovation needs combination. So it’s important to have people who can help you connect to other teams, both internally and externally, bring in new ideas and help take you in new directions.

Consider Amazon, a company that is not only incredibly successful but also highly technically sophisticated. You might expect that it hires a lot of introverted engineers and I’m sure that’s true. Yet the skill it is most focused on is writing, because it understands that to create a successful product, you need to get a lot of diverse people to work together effectively.

So much like with foxes and hedgehogs, if you’re an introvert you should make sure that you have extroverts that can help you connect and if you are an extrovert, make sure you have people who can focus and listen.

Technical vs. Non-Technical People

By all accounts, Steve Jobs was never more than a mediocre engineer, but was clearly a legendary marketer. Nevertheless, he felt strongly that technical people should be in charge. As he once told his biographer, Walter Isaacson, in an interview:

“I have my own theory about why the decline happens at companies like IBM or Microsoft. The company does a great job, innovates and becomes a monopoly or close to it in some field, and then the quality of the product becomes less important. The product starts valuing the great salesmen, because they’re the ones who can move the needle on revenues, not the product engineers and designers. So the salespeople end up running the company.”

Yet the story is not nearly as clear cut as Jobs makes it out to be. When IBM hit hard times it was Lou Gerstner, who spent his formative professional years as a management consultant, that turned it around. Steve Ballmer clearly made missteps as CEO of Microsoft, particularly in mobile, but also made the early investments in cloud technology led to Microsoft’s comeback.

So much like with foxes vs. hedgehogs and introverts vs. extroverts, the choice between technical and non-technical people is a false one. Far more important is how you build a culture in which people of varied skills and perspective can work closely together with a shared sense of purpose.

Today, as we enter a new era of innovation, organizations will need a far more diverse set of skills than ever before and building a collaborative culture will be key to success.

Collaboration Is The New Competitive Advantage

Over the past few decades, the digital revolution has shaped much of our thinking about how we advance a business. Digital technology required a relatively narrow set of skills, so hiring people adept at those skills was a high priority. Yet now, the digital era is ending and we need to rethink old assumptions.

Over the next decade, new computing architectures like quantum and neuromorphic computing will rise to the fore. Other fields, such as genomics and materials science are entering transformative phases. Rather than living in a virtual world, we’ll be using bits to drive atoms in the physical world.

That will change how we need to innovate. As Angel Diaz of IBM told me a few years back, “…we need more than just clever code. We need computer scientists working with cancer scientists, with climate scientists and with experts in many other fields to tackle grand challenges and make large impacts on the world.”

That’s why today collaboration is becoming a real competitive advantage and we need to focus far less on specific skills and “types” and far more on getting people with diverse skills, backgrounds and perspectives to work together effectively.

— Article courtesy of the Digital Tonto blog and an earlier version appeared on Inc.com
— Image credit: Unsplash

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The Discomfort Caused by a Diversity of Perspective

The Discomfort Caused by a Diversity of Perspective

GUEST POST from Mike Shipulski

When your organization doesn’t want to hear your truth because it contradicts a decision they’ve already made, that’s a sign of trouble. It’s a sign they’re going to do what they’re going to and they don’t care all that much about you. But, what if they’re wrong? And what if your perspective could snatch victory from the flames of an impending train wreck? As someone who cares about the company and thinks it would benefit from hearing what you have to say, what do you do?

When you have a culture that makes it clear it’s not okay to share divergent perspectives, you have a big problem.

In domains of high uncertainty, increasing the diversity of perspective is the single most important thing we can do to see things more clearly. In these situations, what matters is the diversity of culture, of heritage, of education, of upbringing, and of experiences. What matters is the diversity of perspective; what matters is the level of divergence among the collective opinions, and what matters most is listening and validating all that diversity.

If you have the diversity of culture, heritage, education, and experience, congratulations. But, if you’re not willing to listen to what that diversity has to say, you’re better off not having it. It’s far less expensive if you don’t have it and far fewer people will be angry when you don’t listen to them. But, there’s a downside – you’ll go out of business sooner.

When you have a perspective that’s different than the Collective’s, share it. And when there are negative consequences for sharing it, accept them. And, rinse and repeat until you get promoted or fired.

Image credit: Unsplash

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Top 10 Human-Centered Change & Innovation Articles of September 2022

Top 10 Human-Centered Change & Innovation Articles of September 2022Drum roll please…

At the beginning of each month we will profile the ten articles from the previous month that generated the most traffic to Human-Centered Change & Innovation. Did your favorite make the cut?

But enough delay, here are September’s ten most popular innovation posts:

  1. You Can’t Innovate Without This One Thing — by Robyn Bolton
  2. Importance of Measuring Your Organization’s Innovation Maturity — by Braden Kelley
  3. 3 Ways to Get Customer Insights without Talking to Customers
    — by Robyn Bolton
  4. Four Lessons Learned from the Digital Revolution — by Greg Satell
  5. Are You Hanging Your Chief Innovation Officer Out to Dry? — by Teresa Spangler
  6. Why Good Job Interviews Don’t Lead to Good Job Performance — by Arlen Meyers, M.D.
  7. Six Simple Growth Hacks for Startups — by Soren Kaplan
  8. Why Diversity and Inclusion Are Entrepreneurial Competencies
    — by Arlen Meyers, M.D.
  9. The Seven P’s of Raising Money from Investors — by Arlen Meyers, M.D.
  10. What’s Next – The Only Way Forward is Through — by Braden Kelley

BONUS – Here are five more strong articles published in August that continue to resonate with people:

If you’re not familiar with Human-Centered Change & Innovation, we publish 4-7 new articles every week built around innovation and transformation insights from our roster of contributing authors and ad hoc submissions from community members. Get the articles right in your Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin feeds too!

Have something to contribute?

Human-Centered Change & Innovation is open to contributions from any and all innovation and transformation professionals out there (practitioners, professors, researchers, consultants, authors, etc.) who have valuable human-centered change and innovation insights to share with everyone for the greater good. If you’d like to contribute, please contact me.

P.S. Here are our Top 40 Innovation Bloggers lists from the last two years:

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Why Diversity and Inclusion Are Entrepreneurial Competencies

Why Diversity and Inclusion Are Entrepreneurial Competencies

GUEST POST from Arlen Meyers, M.D.

A competency is the ability to do something successfully. There are many entrepreneurial competencies. One of them is interdisciplinary teamwork and collaboration i.e. the ability of individuals to form partnerships with a team of professionally diverse individuals in a participatory, collaborative, and coordinated approach to share decision making around issues as the means to achieving improved health outcomes .

In the public health world, D & I means dissemination and implementation i.e. how does a intervention come into common use or become the standard of care. Here is what you need to know about it.

In the education and student success world, D, E & I means diversity, equity and inclusion. Here is the case for it.

In the entrepreneurial world, D, E & I is even more expansive and is measured by:

  1. Your ability to lead high performance teams both face to face and virtually
  2. How you create psychological safety – Here are four ways to boost psychological safety.
  3. The composition of your teams
  4. International representation
  5. Demographic representation
  6. Functional representation (marketing, engineering, finance, etc)
  7. Results
  8. Persona representation: coaches, teachers, cynics, mentors, etc
  9. Listening to both good rebels and bad rebels
  10. The people on your leadership team, advisory board and board of directors
  11. How you incorporate ideas from industries outside of your own. Sickcare cannot be fixed from inside.
  12. How you avoid bias and noise to influence outcomes and variability in decision making.
  13. How you avoid colorism in your sales and marketing approach.
  14. Ownership, not just fairness
  15. Improving your emotional intelligence along the narcissistic-empathy spectrum

Measuring the results or your efforts requires people analytics.

Are you ready to innovate?

I’m a privileged, old white guy who won the ovary lottery. My child of immigrant, first generation to college father got an advanced degrees. Consequently, I was able to grow up in the right ZIP code and take advantage of the opportunities afforded to me by sheer dumb luck. As a result, I wound up being an academic surgeon and worked at the same place for 40 years until I retired as an emeritus professor to pursue my next encore side gig, including working with several non-profits that sit at the intersection of sick care, higher education, biomedical and clinical entrepreneurship and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Four key arguments make the case for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

What are the barriers to leading DEI?

Rather than making leaders solely responsible for their own effectiveness, these researchers allow a balance between managerial competences and the many constraints that limit leaders. With bounded leadership, they look past the leader’s characteristics and consider the many constraints they encounter at the individual, team, organizational and stakeholder levels.

In bounded leadership, there are five distinct abilities leaders require to be effective:

  • Anticipation competence: The ability to predict market patterns and conditions, which are essential to the organization, such as future trends or customer needs
  • Mobilization competence: The ability to inspire employees to put an extraordinary effort into their work
  • Self-reflection competence: The ability to analyze past experiences and draw useful conclusions
  • Values-creation competence: The ability to promote a leader’s values in the organization
  • Visionary competence: The ability to create an attractive vision of the organization, communicate this vision to followers and empower them to implement it

Each of these competencies presents several hurdles: cultural (difficulties in changing values and norms), emotional (strong negative emotions that prevent rational behavior), entitlement (formalized organizational responsibilities and hierarchy), ethical (leaders’ dilemmas), informational (difficulties in processing or collecting data), motivational (problems with inspiring others) and political (office politics and power plays).

Competencies are measured by entrustable professional activities defined by a performance rubric. Creating diverse, equitable, inclusive teams that deliver expected results is one of them. But, getting from said to done takes more than education, training and policy changes.

Being DEI competent is not about changing your mind. It requires changing your mindset.

Image credit: Pixabay

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The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in Building an Innovative Culture

The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in Building an Innovative Culture

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

In today’s rapidly changing and fiercely competitive business landscape, companies are constantly seeking ways to stay ahead of the curve and drive innovation. One of the key ingredients to building a truly innovative culture is diversity and inclusion. By embracing a wide range of perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds, organizations can unlock creativity, drive progress, and ultimately, achieve greater success in their endeavors.

Case Study 1: Google

A prime example of a company that has prioritized diversity and inclusion in fostering an innovative culture is Google. The tech giant has made significant strides in promoting diversity within its workforce, with initiatives such as unconscious bias training, diversity recruiting efforts, and employee resource groups for underrepresented groups. By actively seeking out diverse talent and creating a culture of inclusivity, Google has been able to tap into a wealth of diverse perspectives and ideas, leading to groundbreaking innovations such as Google Maps, Gmail, and other products that have revolutionized the tech industry.

Case Study 2: Airbnb

Another company that has demonstrated the power of diversity and inclusion in driving innovation is Airbnb. The hospitality platform has made diversity and inclusion a core part of its company culture, with initiatives such as unconscious bias training, diversity and inclusion workshops, and partnerships with organizations that support underrepresented communities. By actively promoting diversity in its workforce and fostering a culture of inclusion, Airbnb has been able to attract a diverse range of talent, leading to innovative ideas such as the Experiences feature, which allows users to book unique activities and experiences hosted by locals around the world.

In both of these case studies, we see the tangible benefits of diversity and inclusion in building an innovative culture. By bringing together individuals from a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, companies are able to foster a culture of creativity, collaboration, and innovation. Diverse teams are more likely to challenge the status quo, think outside the box, and come up with innovative solutions to complex problems. Inclusive cultures also create a sense of belonging and psychological safety, encouraging employees to share their ideas, take risks, and push the boundaries of what is possible.

Conclusion

The importance of diversity and inclusion in building an innovative culture cannot be overstated. Companies that prioritize diversity and inclusion are not only able to attract top talent, but also drive creativity, foster collaboration, and ultimately, achieve greater success in their industries. By embracing diversity and creating a culture of inclusion, organizations can unlock the full potential of their employees, drive innovation, and stay ahead of the competition in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape.

SPECIAL BONUS: The very best change planners use a visual, collaborative approach to create their deliverables. A methodology and tools like those in Change Planning Toolkit™ can empower anyone to become great change planners themselves.

Image credit: misterinnovation.com

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Leveraging Diversity: Enhancing Creativity through Inclusive Workplaces

Leveraging Diversity: Enhancing Creativity through Inclusive Workplaces

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

In today’s rapidly evolving and interconnected world, the success of organizations hinges on their ability to foster innovation and creativity. To achieve this, organizations must recognize the value of diversity and create inclusive workplaces that empower individuals from all backgrounds to contribute their unique perspectives. By leveraging diversity, organizations can unlock the full potential of their teams, drive creative problem-solving, and gain a competitive edge. In this article, we will explore the connection between diversity and creativity, and present two compelling case studies that demonstrate the transformative power of inclusive workplaces.

Case Study 1: Pixar Animation Studios

Pixar Animation Studios, renowned for creating beloved films like Toy Story and Finding Nemo, has long understood the importance of diversity in driving creativity. In 2012, Ed Catmull, President of Pixar, reflected on their journey towards building a diverse and inclusive workforce. He shared that while the company initially struggled with diversity, they recognized the need to tap into different voices to propel their storytelling forward.

Pixar embarked on a mission to actively seek out diverse talent and foster an inclusive environment where everyone’s ideas were valued. The result was a creative explosion, with films that resonated deeply and appealed to a wide range of audiences. Films such as Coco, which celebrated Mexican culture and traditions, showcased the power of diverse perspectives and became a global success.

Through intentional efforts to create an inclusive workplace, Pixar not only enhanced their creativity, but also fostered a culture that attracted top talent from diverse backgrounds. This case study demonstrates that by embracing diversity and eliminating barriers, organizations can create an environment where creativity thrives, leading to exceptional outcomes.

Case Study 2: Airbnb

The story of Airbnb’s journey towards embracing diversity and inclusivity offers another inspiring example of how organizations can enhance creativity. In 2016, Airbnb faced criticism for issues related to discrimination on its platform. In response, the company took immediate action, acknowledging the problem and committing to change.

With the belief that diversity leads to better decision-making and innovation, Airbnb took significant steps to address the issue and create a more inclusive platform. They implemented mandatory cultural competence training for all employees, established a non-discrimination policy, and expanded their efforts to recruit diverse candidates across all levels.

These initiatives had a profound impact on Airbnb’s organizational culture and empowered employees to embrace the concept of belonging. The company saw a surge in creativity, as employees from various backgrounds felt valued and comfortable sharing their unique ideas. This resulted in the creation of innovative features such as “experiences” on the Airbnb platform, which opened up new revenue streams and increased customer engagement.

Conclusion

The case studies of Pixar Animation Studios and Airbnb vividly demonstrate the immense benefits organizations can reap by leveraging diversity and creating inclusive workplaces. By fostering an environment that embraces different perspectives, organizations enable their teams to think outside the box, challenge conventional wisdom, and generate groundbreaking ideas.

Diverse teams bring a wealth of experiences, knowledge, and cultural insights, which fuel innovation and make organizations adaptable in an increasingly diverse world. To maximize creativity, organizations should prioritize diversity at all levels, ensure equal opportunities, invest in cultural competence training, and create a culture of inclusion where every voice is heard and respected.

As human-centered design professionals, our duty is to champion the cause of diversity and be at the forefront of creating inclusive workplaces that drive creativity, solve complex problems, and inspire positive change. By embracing diversity, we can harness the full potential of human creativity, paving the way for a brighter and more inclusive future.

SPECIAL BONUS: The very best change planners use a visual, collaborative approach to create their deliverables. A methodology and tools like those in Change Planning Toolkit™ can empower anyone to become great change planners themselves.

Image credit: Unsplash

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Design Thinking and Diversity & Inclusion

Fostering Innovation through Different Perspectives

Design Thinking and Diversity & Inclusion

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

Design Thinking has emerged as a powerful methodology that enables organizations to tackle complex problems and create innovative solutions. At its core, Design Thinking encourages empathy, collaboration, and iteration. However, to fully reap the benefits of this approach, organizations must recognize the importance of Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) in the design process. By incorporating diverse perspectives, organizations can foster innovation and create solutions that better serve their customers and communities. In this article, we will explore how Design Thinking and D&I complement each other and present two case studies highlighting their impact on innovation.

Case Study 1: Procter & Gamble’s “Design for Women”

Procter & Gamble (P&G), a multinational consumer goods company, aimed to develop a razor specifically designed for women. To achieve this, they assembled a diverse team comprising individuals from various backgrounds, including women with different ethnicities, ages, and cultural experiences.

By incorporating D&I principles into the design process, the team empathized with the diverse needs and preferences of women worldwide. This approach led to the creation of the “Venus Embrace,” a razor that not only performed exceptionally well but also catered to the specific needs of women, such as comfort, ease of use, and aesthetics.

P&G’s commitment to D&I through Design Thinking not only resulted in a successful product but also reinforced their reputation as a brand that truly understands and values its target audience. This case study demonstrates how acknowledging and embracing diversity can lead to breakthrough innovations that resonate with customers on a deeper level.

Case Study 2: Airbnb and Inclusive Design

Airbnb, a leading online marketplace for accommodations, recognized early on that their success depended on creating an inclusive platform that catered to a wide range of travelers. To achieve this, they adopted Design Thinking principles and focused on incorporating D&I into their design process.

Airbnb initiated “The Airbnb Design Language System” project, which aimed to provide an accessible and inclusive user experience across their platform. They collaborated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and different ethnicities. By involving these diverse stakeholders, Airbnb gained valuable insights into the specific challenges that certain groups faced when using their platform.

Through Design Thinking, Airbnb developed features such as improved filters for accessibility requirements, expanded language options, and inclusive profile settings. These enhancements not only made the platform more user-friendly but also created a strong sense of belonging for users from all backgrounds.

By incorporating D&I principles into their design process, Airbnb gained a competitive edge that enabled them to tap into previously underserved markets. This case study demonstrates how Design Thinking and embracing different perspectives can drive innovation while promoting social equality and inclusivity.

Conclusion

Design Thinking and Diversity & Inclusion are integral to fostering innovation in today’s rapidly changing world. The case studies of Procter & Gamble and Airbnb highlight the power of incorporating diverse perspectives into the design process. Incorporating D&I enables companies to empathize with their target audience, uncover unmet needs, and create innovative solutions that cater to a broader customer base. Embracing diversity not only leads to more successful products and services but also plays a crucial role in creating a more inclusive and equitable society. As organizations strive to stay competitive and meet the evolving needs of their customers, Design Thinking and D&I will continue to be essential drivers of innovation and growth.

Bottom line: Futurology is not fortune telling. Futurists use a scientific approach to create their deliverables, but a methodology and tools like those in FutureHacking™ can empower anyone to engage in futurology themselves.

Image credit: misterinnovation.com

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The Role of Diversity and Inclusion in Fostering Innovation

The Role of Diversity and Inclusion in Fostering Innovation

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

In today’s rapidly changing world, innovation is the driving force behind success and growth for any organization. To keep up with the ever-evolving market demands, companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of embracing diversity and fostering inclusion within their workforce. The impact of a diverse and inclusive environment goes beyond just social justice; it also plays a pivotal role in fostering innovation and driving business competitiveness. Let’s explore some case study examples that highlight the role of diversity and inclusion in promoting innovation.

Case Study 1: Google’s Employee Resource Groups

Google, a global technology leader, has long been known for its commitment to diversity and inclusion. One of the ways they promote a diverse and inclusive workforce is through their Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). These ERGs are voluntary, employee-led groups that aim to create a sense of belonging for underrepresented groups. By bringing together employees with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, Google’s ERGs have become catalysts for innovation. These groups provide a platform for employees to connect, share ideas, and contribute to problem-solving, resulting in innovative solutions that address a wide range of challenges. For instance, the Black Googler Network (BGN) launched an initiative called “CS in Color” to address the racial disparities in computer science education. Through this program, BGN empowered students of color with coding skills, driving innovation by diversifying the tech industry’s talent pool.

Case Study 2: Johnson & Johnson’s Open Innovation Program

Johnson & Johnson (J&J), a multinational healthcare company, recognizes that embracing diversity contributes to its innovation efforts. They have implemented an open innovation strategy that emphasizes collaboration with external partners. In 2011, J&J established the Diversity & Inclusion External Innovation Council to enhance diversity and inclusion in their external collaborations. By partnering with entrepreneurs, startups, and diverse suppliers, J&J aims to foster innovation by tapping into a broader pool of ideas and solutions. By embracing diversity in their external partnerships, J&J has been able to drive breakthrough innovations in various therapeutic areas. For example, their collaboration with a small biotech company led to the development of a groundbreaking treatment for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. By incorporating diverse perspectives and leveraging external partnerships, J&J has been able to stay at the forefront of healthcare innovation.

These case study examples demonstrate that diversity and inclusion play a vital role in fostering innovation. By embracing employees with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, organizations can tap into a vast array of ideas and approaches. Diversity of thought and perspectives fuels creativity, leading to innovative solutions and increased competitiveness. Furthermore, inclusion ensures that diverse voices are heard, valued, and given the opportunity to contribute fully, resulting in a more collaborative and innovative work environment.

Conclusion

To fully reap the benefits of diversity and inclusion, organizations must focus on creating an inclusive culture that promotes psychological safety, encourages diverse perspectives, and supports collaboration. By doing so, organizations can foster an innovative culture where everyone feels empowered to contribute their unique ideas and drive positive change.

Diversity and inclusion are not only moral imperatives but also powerful enablers of innovation. Embracing diversity within the workforce promotes creativity, fuels innovation, and results in solutions that meet the needs of an increasingly diverse customer base. By fostering an inclusive environment where every voice is valued and heard, organizations can drive innovation, unlock new opportunities, and ensure long-term success in today’s fast-paced and competitive world.

Bottom line: Futurology is not fortune telling. Futurists use a scientific approach to create their deliverables, but a methodology and tools like those in FutureHacking™ can empower anyone to engage in futurology themselves.

Image credit: misterinnovation.com

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Designing for Inclusivity

Why Diversity Matters in Human-Centered Design

Why Diversity Matters in Human-Centered Design

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

In today’s increasingly interconnected world, the importance of inclusivity and diversity cannot be overstated. From business to education and beyond, embracing diversity has become a crucial aspect of fostering creativity, promoting innovation, and driving positive change. Nowhere is this more evident than in human-centered design, where the needs, perspectives, and experiences of diverse populations must be considered to create products and services that truly meet the needs of all users. In this article, we will explore the significance of diversity in human-centered design through two compelling case study examples.

Case Study 1: Apple’s VoiceOver Feature

Apple, a leader in technological innovation, understands the value of diversity and inclusivity in its design considerations. One prime example of their commitment to inclusivity is their VoiceOver feature. Introduced in 2009, VoiceOver is an accessibility feature integrated into Apple devices that verbalizes the content on the screen to assist users with visual impairments or blindness.

Apple’s design team included people with visual impairments throughout the development process, ensuring that the feature met their specific needs. By including individuals with disabilities in the design process, Apple not only created a user-friendly feature that empowers and includes these users but also demonstrated the importance of diversity in ensuring a successful outcome. The results speak for themselves, as VoiceOver has transformed the daily lives of millions of individuals who rely on Apple devices for communication, work, and leisure activities.

Case Study 2: OXO Good Grips Kitchen Tools

OXO, a well-known kitchenware brand, recognized the importance of diverse perspectives when designing its Good Grips line of kitchen tools. Typically, kitchen tools are designed with a one-size-fits-all approach, assuming that all users have similar hand dexterity and strength. However, OXO took a different approach by incorporating inclusivity into their design philosophy.

The OXO design team conducted extensive research, including interviews with individuals living with arthritis, hand mobility issues, and limited strength. By incorporating their insights, the team created kitchen tools with ergonomically designed handles that were comfortable and easy to use for people with diverse physical abilities. OXO’s commitment to inclusivity not only improved the functionality of their products but also increased the market reach of their brand, as millions of individuals with various physical challenges now appreciate the accessibility and usability of their kitchen tools.

Conclusion

The case studies of Apple’s VoiceOver feature and OXO’s Good Grips kitchen tools demonstrate the significance of designing for inclusivity in human-centered design. By involving diverse individuals in the design process, these companies created products that addressed the specific needs of different user groups. In doing so, they not only improved the lives of millions of users but also fostered a culture of inclusivity and innovation that benefits society as a whole.

Designing for inclusivity not only leads to better products and experiences but also sends a powerful message about the value of diverse perspectives. The world is made up of a multitude of backgrounds, abilities, and experiences, and it is our responsibility as designers to recognize and embrace this diversity. By doing so, we can create a more equitable and inclusive future where everyone’s needs are met, and no one is left behind.

SPECIAL BONUS: Braden Kelley’s Problem Finding Canvas can be a super useful starting point for doing design thinking or human-centered design.

“The Problem Finding Canvas should help you investigate a handful of areas to explore, choose the one most important to you, extract all of the potential challenges and opportunities and choose one to prioritize.”

Image credit: Pixabay

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Help Support Gender Equity on May 10th

Help Support Gender Equity on May 10th

I am excited to announce on behalf of Innovation Excellence friend Tiffany Shlain that 50/50 Day is less than a month away and we can’t wait for this global conversation about gender equality! For those of you who haven’t signed up yet to host an event at your company, school, organization, or home, there’s still time. Watch a 2 minute trailer and sign up here.

About 50/50

50/50 gives the 10,000 year history of women + power — from setbacks and uprisings, to the bigger context of where we are today. Using her signature, cinematic-thought-essay style, Emmy-nominated filmmaker & founder of The Webby Awards Tiffany Shlain brings us on an electric ride to explore, where are we really on the greater arc of history of women and power? And what’s it going to take to get to a 50/50 world — not just to 50/50 in politics and board rooms, but to truly shift the gender balance to be better for everyone?

50/50 premiered on Oct 27, 2016 simultaneously live at #TEDWomen and 275 TEDx’s globally, online on @Refinery29 and on TV on Comcast’s Watchable. It is the most viewed long form film Refinery29 has released with over 4 million views to date. It will now be the centerpiece film for a global conversation set for May 10th about what it’s going to take to get to a more gender balanced world called 50/50 Day.

Please Join Me in Supporting 50/50 Day on May 10, 2017

We’re also very excited to share the above image, which is the poster that will be included in the free discussion kits provided to participants. The kits, currently at the printer (!), include this poster as well as a deck of 44 discussion cards that go deeper into each of those circles for all age groups and all different types of environments. Organizers only have a finite number of kits, so be sure to sign up to host your event soon.

Click Here to Learn More and Sign Up for 50/50 Day

And if you just can’t wait to until May 10th to see the full movie, then here it is below, just for you:

Let’s support our mothers, sisters, and daughters in their fight for gender equality and as a result help create the conditions for maximum innovation!


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