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April 21, 2004
The Invisible Woman: An Intel Simulation
Via Boing Boing, I found this IT management simulation game on the Intel site. It's an interesting idea; you're a manager who has to hire a team and complete a project using available resources. The problem (as Cory points out) is that in the first task--hiring a staff for your department--you can't hire a woman. They randomize a number of character aspects--hair, skin color, name, salary--but not gender.
This is what happens when women aren't involved on development teams--they become invisible, not only in the workplace, but also in the products that come from that workplace.
Posted by Liz Lawley at 11:12 AM in Organizations | Permalink
Comments
At PC Forum this year, there was an interesting talk given by a Major General, the Chief of Safety for the Air Force. He was talking about the organizational problems that had led up to the Columbia space shuttle disaster, and he said that the main problem that they had identified was too much homogeneity in the organization, too many people with like ideas agreeing with one another, too many people from similar backgrounds. People who were different, or disagreed too much with the team were weeded out, sidelined or silenced. And the study conducted to find out what had caused the disaster concluded that it was the lack of friction that caused the oversights that led to the explosion of the Columbia Space Shuttle and the death of its crew.
I would guess that this Intel IT Game fiasco probably comes from a similar kind of organization. And yes, it is interesting they put so much effort into making the features of the Hires so...diverse, without ever noticing there were no women there!
Posted by: Caterina at Apr 21, 2004 4:08:17 PM
I'm reminded of a story once told by Geoffrey Robertson (human rights advocate), I believe in his book The Justice Game. He was a Rhodes scholar involved a campaign concerning South African Rhodes scholars (I can't remember whether it was to stop SA having Rhodes scholars due to apartheid, or to allow black candidates to apply). At the time there were no female Rhodes scholars, but they didn't even think to protest that as well.
Posted by: Mary at Apr 21, 2004 8:35:30 PM
This is what you'll find if you try to play the game today:
"Your Interest in the IT Manager game is appreciated. Intel is currently making revisions to the game, please check back again in the end of May to test your IT Manager skills."
Wonder if they're adding some XXs to the hiring option?
Posted by: Beth at Apr 23, 2004 12:31:37 PM
I'm a television producer/journalist from Vancouver Canada and a newbie to the 'blog'
world. I'm not sure how this works but I thought this might be a great resource
to find out what women are interested in learning/exploring in the world of
technology. I produce a national TV show on technology that is primarily product
heavy in content. I want to develop a show geared toward women and how technology
impacts our lives. What subjects would you like to see profiled in a TV show?
What would you watch and why? Thanks so much for your input.
Anna
Posted by: Anna Ceraldi at Apr 27, 2004 7:49:06 PM
I'd just like to point to a small discussion on this going on at Watercoolergames.org
Posted by: Tore at May 4, 2004 7:16:38 AM
Whoops. Just noticed the Trackback. Sorry.
Posted by: Tore at May 4, 2004 7:21:18 AM
news
Posted by: news- at Aug 20, 2004 2:12:28 AM
