Engineering for Equity
Overview
This blog post discusses the “Engineering for Equity” chapter in the Software Engineering at Google book. This article’s goal is to surface the engineer’s responsibility in ensuring that a software project meets the needs of the largest possible audience or user base.
Summary
This chapter goes over where Google failed to reach the ideal standard for inclusivity and how this can be made up for in the future, as a company-wide effort. The demographics of the software engineers at Google do not reflect those that use their products, and as such their biases were incorporated into their projects, such as facial recognition software.
In order to remedy this issue, there are several proposed steps, or areas of focus, for us to take into consideration. These are outlined in the Value Versus Outcomes section, as summarized and paraphrased in the following enumerated list:
Who are the people building the product? Do these people represent those for whom the product is being built? If not, how is that being taken into account?
Assume everyone will use it, and use this to take into account the one that will struggle the most. Design with that person or demographic in mind, in order to ensure that accessibility is built into the software product.
Building on the previous point — does the data show that your efforts succeeded? If not, where was the failure point? How can this be fixed and then prevented in the future?
These are an amalgamation of the five points given in the Value Versus Outcomes section, and how it asks software engineers to create solutions instead of being part of the problem in order to ensure equity. Now, let’s turn to our chapter reflections and some suggestions for next steps!
Reflection
Reflecting on the chapter, it underscores the importance of creating an inclusive work environment where all individuals are accommodated, which is key to ensuring productivity and dismantling structural biases. It highlights the pivotal role of software engineers as agents of change, championing diversity and inclusivity. The chapter emphasizes the ethical and practical necessity of addressing bias, fostering inclusivity, and transitioning from a mindset of building for everyone to building with everyone. It acknowledges the systemic issues that are prevalent in the technology industry and offers actionable steps to address them, with a focus on psychological safety, multicultural competence, and continuous professional development. The chapter also stresses the importance for engineers to understand the impact of their products on a diverse user base. It serves as a reminder that nurturing an inclusive work environment and pursuing continuous learning are crucial for personal growth and career advancement.
Action Items
This chapter offers invaluable insight for software engineers and organizations, emphasizing the importance of integrating inclusivity and diversity into the product development process. It advocates for a user-centered approach that caters to individuals confronting various challenges and calls for collaboration with diversity and inclusion experts. While the immediate relevance to our current class project may be limited, the principles discussed remain significant in our preparation for the workforce. In the context of Chasten’s future users, especially as Allegheny College students, we should place a strong emphasis on making our code highly readable, recalling our own initial challenges in understanding the code base. Furthermore, we can leverage our experiences in creating the program to assist future students in improving it, ensuring its accessibility and usability for a wider range of users.