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Black and Latinx designers in the tech industry face significant barriers such as:

Lack of access to mentorship and networking opportunities
Biases in hiring and promotion processes
Limited visibility and recognition of their work

Black and Latinx designers in the tech industry face significant barriers such as:

Lack of access to mentorship and networking opportunities
Biases in hiring and promotion processes
Limited visibility and recognition of their work

When it comes to advancing into leadership roles within the design industry, they experience hidden and often overt discrimination that prevails in the tech industry.

01 Situation

02 Task

HMW empower Black and Latinx designers and build inclusive communities in the face of bias and discrimination in the workplace?

Secondary Research

Findings

Lack of Opportunity

Lack of Motivation

Performative Statements

Limited Discussion

Educational Disadvantages

Lack of Resources

Separation From Culture

More for Less

Industry Approach

Designer Experiences

User Interviews

Findings

Industry Approach

Designer Experiences

Resisting Change

Networking

Othering

Cultural Conversations

Diversity Responsibility

Authentic Self

Not Having the Conversation

Design for Culture

Our solution is to create a tool kit that will assist managers and directors in promoting diversity by facilitating the development of identity and voice among Black and Latinx entry-level hires in the tech industry. Our aim is to empower both managers and entry-level hires to build more inclusive and diverse workplaces that value individual perspectives and contributions.

03 Action

Final Product

The name “Ouras”

Ouras is stemmed from the goal of visualizing
a team’s [noun] in one aura, in the shape of a mosaic. The aura creates visibility for each team member’s voice within a group dynamic.

Creating a workshop

Team members spark conversations
by responding to prompts with their opinion
from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree.

Hexagon shape

Users responded better to hexagons as they are more organic and modular allowing users
to connect off on another and create one shape.

The name “Ouras”

Ouras is stemmed from the goal of visualizing
a team’s [noun] in one aura, in the shape of a mosaic. The aura creates visibility for each team member’s voice within a group dynamic.

Creating a workshop

Team members spark conversations
by responding to prompts with their opinion
from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree.

Hexagon shape

Users responded better to hexagons as they are more organic and modular allowing users
to connect off on another and create one shape.

Level 1

The purpose of this level is to introduce the purpose of the game. Through icebreaker questions, the group can become more comfortable with each other.

Level 1

The purpose of this level is to introduce the purpose of the game. Through icebreaker questions, the group can become more comfortable with each other.

Level 2

The purpose of Level 2 is to understand the issues that Designers of Color face within the workspace. This level includes questions relating to projects, work-life balance and relationships.

Level 2

The purpose of Level 2 is to understand the issues that Designers of Color face within the workspace. This level includes questions relating to projects, work-life balance and relationships.

Level 3

The purpose of this level is to address the issues related that designers of color face when breaking into and working with management in the industry.

Level 3

The purpose of this level is to address the issues related that designers of color face when breaking into and working with management in the industry.

Takeaway

This is to be completed at the end of the game where the team collectively fills out their takeaways from the conversations they had and how they can become proactive team members.

Takeaway

This is to be completed at the end of the game where the team collectively fills out their takeaways from the conversations they had and how they can become proactive team members.

Action Cards

Pause

Grants a team member the ability to pause an especially heated conversation and move on with another prompt.

Advocate

Guarantees an individual the time to speak in support of a particular prompt tile.

Skip

Allows a team member to avoid responding to a prompt card that is too sensitive for them.

Manual

Engagement through excitement and mastery

A comprehensive user manual utilizing content-driven UX writing techniques ensures that information is clear, consistent, and user-friendly.

Written in a evocative voice to invoke free thinking and emotion of all individuals participating in the workshop.

Qualitative and Quantitative Testing with more than 20 individuals.

Usability testing that included:

Consistency in Look and Feel

Readability and Legibility

Layout and Sizing

A comprehensive user manual utilizing content-driven UX writing techniques ensures that information is clear, consistent, and user-friendly.

Written in a evocative voice to invoke free thinking and emotion of all individuals participating in the workshop.

Qualitative and Quantitative Testing with more than 20 individuals.

Usability testing that included:

Consistency in Look and Feel

Readability and Legibility

Layout and Sizing

Accessibility Considerations

Using pattern

To distinguish between positive and negative responses, strongly agree and agree have dots while strongly disagree and disagree have diamonds.

Using pattern

To distinguish between positive and negative responses, strongly agree and agree have dots while strongly disagree and disagree have diamonds.

Using color

We wanted the colors to be approachable and trustworthy.

Using color

We wanted the colors to be approachable and trustworthy.

Combing text, color, and pattern for comprehension

After iterations and user testing, we decided to use three signifiers for the ranges.

Combing text, color, and pattern for comprehension

After iterations and user testing, we decided to use three signifiers for the ranges.

Considering color-blindedness

The range tiles preserve their visual differences without color.

Considering color-blindedness

The range tiles preserve their visual differences without color.

04 Result

Taking our designs into the real world

Taking our designs into

the real world

Conduct further user testing with our target users, industry professionals.

Create packaging and marketing materials according to our brand guidelines.

Contact publishers and sponsors
to commercialize our workshop.

Publish our research findings in accredited journals and newsletters.

The future of design depends on individual voices coming together for change.

Although our product does not detail specific actions towards building more inclusive workplaces, we believe that the first step towards change is understanding individual differences, perspectives, and experiences.

We hope that Ouras levels the playing field
for everyone at a company by creating a safe space for conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Articles & Books

Interviews

Podcasts

Videos & Confrences

03 Action