In August 2015, my business/life partner and I both wanted to attend a national software development conference. The only catch? I had a ten week old baby at home. We used Agile software development practices to help us decide what to do and learned some interesting things during our experience.
5. GENDERED WORKPLACE
NORMS AND POLICIES
LIMIT MEN’S AND WOMEN’S
ABILITY TO CREATE GENDER
EGALITARIAN RELATIONSHIPS.
@andreagoulet@msco/ord
American
Sociological
Review
February
2015
vol.
80
no.
1
116-‐139
6. WOMEN AND MEN BOTH WANT
EGALITARIAN PARTNERSHIPS.
95% COLLEGE EDUCATED WOMEN
75% COLLEGE EDUCATED MEN
@andreagoulet@msco/ord
American
Sociological
Review
February
2015
vol.
80
no.
1
116-‐139
7. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
TRADITIONAL WORKPLACE
POLICIES AND NORMS MAKE
EQUALITY DIFFICULT?
@andreagoulet@msco/ord
American
Sociological
Review
February
2015
vol.
80
no.
1
116-‐139
12. PROBLEM STATEMENT
HOW CAN WE BOTH ATTEND
AGILE 2015 WHILE GIVING OUR
NEWBORN THE ATTENTION (&
FOOD) SHE NEEDS?
@andreagoulet@msco/ord
13. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
• GET IN-LAWS A SEPARATE ROOM?
• MOM STAYS HOME?
• DAD SPEAKS THEN WATCHES KID?
• HIRE A NANNY FOR WEEK?
• BABY COMES WITH US?
@andreagoulet@msco/ord
15. RISKS
• WE’LL GET THROWN OUT
• UNPROFESSIONAL
• DISRUPTIVE/DISRESPECTFUL
• LOSE CREDIBILITY
• BABY NEEDIER THAN WE THOUGHT
@andreagoulet@msco/ord
16. BENEFITS
• BOTH ATTEND CONFERENCE
• BABY GETS WHAT SHE NEEDS
• ICEBREAKER
• GOOD BONDING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL
• DEMONSTRATE NEED FOR CHILD CARE
@andreagoulet@msco/ord
21. RESULTS
• OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTIVE
• MANY OTHER PARENTS BROUGHT KIDS
• BOTH GOT TO ATTEND CONFERENCE
• TALK WENT GREAT
• MET LOTS OF AMAZING PEOPLE
@andreagoulet@msco/ord
24. LESSONS LEARNED
• KNOW YOUR CHILD
• STAY IN CONFERENCE HOTEL
• SMILE & MAKE EYE CONTACT
• BRING A PARTNER
• BE PREPARED TO MISS CONTENT
@andreagoulet@msco/ord
26. SUPPORT DIVERSITY IN TECH
• REQUEST CHILD CARE AT CONFERENCES
• SHOW SUPPORT FOR PARENTS
• QUESTION POLICIES & NORMS
• LEARN ABOUT UNCONSCIOUS BIAS,
ESPECIALLY MATERNAL BIAS
@andreagoulet@msco/ord