{"id":14817,"date":"2020-07-08T17:09:43","date_gmt":"2020-07-09T00:09:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/?p=14817"},"modified":"2023-08-25T07:57:30","modified_gmt":"2023-08-25T14:57:30","slug":"women-in-ux-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/design\/women-in-ux-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Why We Need More Women in UX Design"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Women make up 53.5% of the design workforce, according to research from the AIGA and Google, making it one of the few technical professions within the tech industry where women are well represented. Despite women holding more than half the roles in design, though, there is a dearth of women designers in leadership; the same research found that only 11% of leadership positions are held by women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although many women in UX\/UI design<\/a> are qualified to rise through the ranks, they continue to face workplace challenges<\/a> that can stifle their growth, such as lack of mentorship, a shortage of female designer role models in the field, gender bias in the workplace, and unequal growth opportunities compared to men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tech companies have in recent years recognized the cost of both employee attrition and a lack of diversity at the leadership level, and have taken steps to make their workplaces more inclusive, their hiring and promotion processes more transparent, and to ensure that the extraordinary achievements of employees of all backgrounds are highlighted to improve recruiting and retention. Innovators in the design world have also taken matters into their own hands, creating opportunities and support networks for women in UX\/UI design and clearing some of the hurdles that stand in their way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related Read:<\/strong> What Does a UX Designer Do?<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women are making meaningful headway in the field of UX\/UI design. Read on to learn more about the challenges women are overcoming and the opportunities that are helping close the gender gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Can We Get More Women in UX\/UI Design Careers?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Research<\/a> has identified several key issues that continue to hold women back from advancing their UX design careers: lack of women role models, lack of mentorship opportunities, and a pay gap that lacks transparency. Industry leaders and other remarkable women in the field of design are addressing these issues through the following ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. If you can\u2019t see it, you can\u2019t be it.<\/strong> Studies have shown<\/a> that women role models can empower and inspire women to stay in the workforce and pursue more advanced roles. In one particular study<\/a>, researchers found that female students were more likely to major in STEM if they were assigned a woman professor, and that junior-level employees were more likely to stay with an organization<\/a> if they had women supervisors. Companies are beginning to understand the importance of not only having women in UX\/UI design roles but also having women at all levels of an organization so that their peers can see both a path for advancement and a place at the top for them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. More mentorship\u2014from women and men.<\/strong> When people think of mentorship for women in UX\/UI design, they often default to thinking that the task should fall on women to mentor other women. But this leads to the few women in UX leadership shouldering most of the work. Instead, research has found that male mentors are just as important<\/a> in offering guidance, support, and insight into the profession. Mentors of all stripes also play a valuable role in advocating for women, elevating the status of female designers, carving out space for newcomers to be heard, and influencing an organization\u2019s culture<\/a> so that it\u2019s more welcoming and inclusive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Pay transparency.<\/strong> The gender pay gap in tech can range from 5-10%, according to Hired<\/a>, and the frustration of not knowing where they stand or how much they should be asking for is one of the reasons women in UX design feel disempowered. More transparent conversations about salaries can help break down these barriers of disempowerment, according to Hired\u2019s report, which also found that 68% of women and 63% of men surveyed thought that pay transparency would increase their interest in working for a company.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n