The Imperative for Inclusive Innovation

In the near future, we could be overrun by racist, sexist, homophobic robots. While that may sound like science fiction, it could be closer than we think due to an alarming lack of inclusivity in technology design and development today. The current exponential pace of technology innovation demands that those with the power to combat bias in tech take action now, to build not only better innovation but ones that are more inclusive for everyone. Once bias is embedded in tech, you’ll never get it out. The question is, how? The answer: Start at the source. Technology is designed and built by people and - consciously or not - people have biases that can creep into the work they are doing. By implementing inclusive product design and development hiring practices and looking to more diverse groups within your organization for innovation you will end up with a better product that is relevant to a more diverse, global group of people. At Cisco for example, close to half of its staff belong to employee resource organizations, which represent different diverse employee groups within the company - it actively looks to these groups for innovation. Join Wayne Cuervo, Lead for Global Innovation for Cisco’s Innovation Labs, for a timely and important discussion on the critical role that inclusivity plays in technology innovation, product design and development.