Women represent half the users and control almost 80% of the consumer market, and yet products are often blind to gender differences, perpetuate gender biases, and fail to provide a balanced solution to women’s and men’s needs and preferences. How can we as designers change that? How can we overcome our own unconscious biases and make our products more gender inclusive? And how would it impact the growth of our products and the society we live in? An inspiring session which includes research based methodology and use cases that will open your mind to the potential and practicalities of creating gender inclusive products. ::: Anat Katz-Arotchas ::: Anat Katz-Arotchas is a pioneer in the field of Gendered Product Innovation, promoting gender thinking in tech. Bringing together her expertise in product and gender, Anat is the founder of Standpoint, a former member of the European Union’s gender innovation team and a local representative of the Danish UX firm- Design-people. Anat is also the co-founder of XX-UX Israel, a community of women promoting gender balance in the UX field.

4. BusinessProductethics

5. The Potential
Women control almost 80% of
consumer spending worldwide
$20 Trillion annually
Source: HBR 2009

6. But, why is it so?
(Why are tech products biased?)

7. Blind spots

8. In 2014 only 26% of
computing jobs were
held by women
Hacking Tech’s Diversity Problem, HBR 10-14
Predominantly male environment

9. What is the composition of
men & women
in movie crowd scenes?

11. Women are only 17 percent of
the people in movie crowd
scenes, and yet viewers assume
they are almost equally
represented.

12. We all have blind spots!
Overcoming them requires
conscious and structured
action

13. Gender is a continuum
Current unconsciously
biased focus
Conscious action
Growth and innovation opportunity

14. So, how do we do that?
✓ The basic step – quick wins
✓ The next step – do it right!

15. The Basics Step:
5 quick wins to look for

16. #1 The Stereotypical, Diminishing Message

18. Photo: Google

19. Apple’s Health App 2014
“Apple's Health App Tracks
Almost Everything, Except
Periods”
Live Science Sep 2014
#2 The Clear Exclusion (“we didn’t think about you…”)

20. Apple’s Health App 2015
“Apple Stops ignoring
women’s Health with IOS 9
Health kit”
Techcrunch, June 2015
Reproductive Health

21. #3 The hidden, implicit exclusion

22. #4 The Perpetuating mechanism (e.g. machine learning)

25. #5 Gender Binary vs. Gender Spectrum

26. The Basics Step: 5 quick wins to look for
#1 The Stereotypical, Diminishing Message
#2 The Clear Exclusion (“we didn’t think about you…”)
#3 The Hidden, Implicit Exclusion
#4 The Perpetuating Mechanism (e.g. machine learning)
#5 Gender Binary vs. Gender Spectrum

27. The next step:
Do it right!
Make your product truly gender inclusive

29. #1 Use gendered data!

30. Know the gender composition of users & set demographic goals
Only 20% women in the cycling community

31. Men
*Liraz Margalit,
Clicktale
Gender-analyze your user behavior
Women

32. #2 Choose your target audience

33. Tech-user navigators
Understanding different profiles
A European market research initiative
by design-people
©Design People

34. #3 Gendered user research:
explore different motivations-
Situational needs, and gender principles

35. Female Interaction Principles
©Design People

36. Real Life Benefit
©Design People

37. “We learned that we
should not tell how
‘smart’ the app is, but
about the difference it
makes in the everyday
lives of users. “
— Mikkel Kaczmarek, responsible
for digital business development at
OK

38. Social Values Matter
©Design People

39. Female Interaction Case Products
©Design People

40. GN netcom case a new innovation space
©Design People

41. Present but available
Discrete but visible
Respectful

42. Situational multi-tasking needs, at home
©Design People

43. Situational multi-tasking needs, at work
©Design People

45. Bang & Olufsen – Female Driven Innovation case
©Design People

48. Always in the right mood
the fastest selling product in B&O history
“Both the media feedback and our sales have by far
exceeded the previous Beosound 5”
— Lyle Clarke, Bang&Olufsen
Sr. Manager UX design & Concept Exploration

49. blind spots Quick wins Do it right!
Gender Inclusive Design

50. Team Diversity

51. Thank you
www.standpointinnovation.com
www.design-people.com
Anat Katz-Arotchas, CEO
+972 (0)54- 2277535
anat@standpointinnovation.com
Want to learn more?