Everything Matters: Beyond the Code

Introduction and Trigger Warning (0m21s)

The speaker opens with acknowledgements and provides a content warning for topics covered:

"I want to give a trigger warning for this talk covers racism sexism abuse harassment and rape and death threats"

The Tree Metaphor: Technology's Root Problems (1m36s)

An extended metaphor comparing the technology industry to a tree with root rot is introduced, establishing the framework for discussing systemic problems in tech.

"the technology industry is a tree that is rotting from its roots"

"root problems can cause the tree to die and unhealthy dying trees can become a big Hazard"

Technology's Pervasive Influence (3m19s)

Statistics demonstrate how deeply technology shapes modern life, from screen time to brain function changes.

"around 3.2 billion people worldwide have internet access right now that's around 40% of the world population"

"technology is the power to change the world but how are we using this power"

Conway's Law and System Design (4m22s)

The speaker explains how systems reflect the biases and limitations of their creators, establishing the foundation for understanding representation in software development.

"organisations which Design Systems are constrained to produce designs which are copies of their own communication structures"

"all systems that we design become a copy of the thoughts biases stereotypes and other traits of the people who are designing and working on them"

The Demographics Crisis in Tech (8m0s)

Stark statistics reveal the severe lack of diversity in the technology industry across multiple dimensions.

"there are only 1-3% black or African-American people working at Major tech companies"

"90-99% of contributors to free and open source software projects are white cis men"

"41% of women leave careers in technology after 10 years more than twice the number of men"

Harassment and Exclusion (13m13s)

The talk addresses the daily harassment and microaggressions faced by underrepresented people in tech.

"many women of color people of color, lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, intersectional, trans, queer people and women in the tech industry have been experiencing harassment threats abuse and constant microaggressions on a daily basis for years"

Privilege and Its Consequences (15m25s)

An examination of how privilege shields some from problems while limiting their ability to create inclusive solutions.

"privilege is a shield that protects us from problems and it blocks parts of our perceptions"

"privilege means that we have a choice whether or not we deal with oppression"

The Software We Build (20m51s)

Concrete examples of how biased software design harms users, from health apps ignoring menstruation to systems enabling harassment.

"our software is sexist often unset or default avatars in our tools show male"

"Twitter is faster at suspending accounts that post Gifts of Major League Baseball playoffs than accounts that engage in rape and death threats"

Ten Steps for Change (25m56s)

The speaker outlines specific actions needed to improve the technology industry, including developing empathy, working through biases, and amplifying underrepresented voices.

"there are 10 things that we need to do to make the technology industry a better place for everyone"

"empathy is the ability to relate to another person as though they could be us"

The Call to Action (36m17s)

A powerful conclusion emphasising the political nature of technology and the urgency of change.

"our technology is political our technology cannot be neutral"

"it's time that each and every one of us with every design with every line of code with every action takes a stand because everything matters"