No planned cohorts
Equitable Product
To make technology accessible and beneficial for all, understanding diverse community needs is essential.
HOW THIS COHORT CAN BENEFIT YOU
Learn how to make an Equitable Product. Nowadays, issues of diversity, equity, inclusion and ethics within organisations have been at the forefront of everyone's minds in Aotearoa and globally.
However, according to a 2021 Capgemini Research Institute report, 84% of all tech employees acknowledge that their products are not inclusive. Some problems arise from not having DEI including in your product planning: lack of accessibility to technology affects individuals with disabilities, gender and racial inequalities, leading to data privacy issues and digital inequities.
Having a inclusive technology leads to higher customer satisfaction, improved employee engagement and a competitive edge in the market.
Whether you are leading a company or working on an aspect of a tech product, you have the power to create better practices and cultures in your team. Join this cohort to get equipped with foundational tools and practices to create change!
🌱 Look at your current craft through a lens of different intersections like gender, disability, ethnicity and indigeneity
✨ Become confident in creating products that work for the wider communities, and produce positive business benefits by opening your products to larger user bases
🙌 Learn how to apply concepts of accessibility, inclusion, storytelling culture and data equity so you can create products and businesses that are valuable for everyone
Hear from our team
WHO IS THIS COHORT FOR
This cohort is for people who work in tech (product, design, engineering) and want to get a foundational understanding and tools on making your product more inclusive and ethical. If you relate to any of the below quotes, this course is for you! Note: this course is probably not for you if you do work in the areas of DEI & ethics already.
"I want to connect with like-minded people, as well as some inspirational and ethical leaders to learn about the challenges/opportunities that they've faced in the DEI & ethics in tech."
I'd like to understand the area better and gain confidence so I can make more inclusive product decisions in my work and life in general."
"I want to get some actionable learnings to share with my team to ensure the digital products we create are more equitable, accessible and inclusive."
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS
Elina Ashimbayeva
Founder of Storyo, Experience Designer at Auckland DHB, Co-Organizer Women In Tech NZ and your main facilitator of the course
Elina is incredibly passionate about representation, equity, education, system changes & community wellbeing. She has led over 150 interviews on Storyo and over a dozen DEI & Storytelling workshops for corporate teams. She brings her experience as a product manager and design researcher but with a DEI lens to this cohort.
Tanya Johnson
VP of Product at Auror, Co-founder of Women In Tech, and Product Coach
Tanya is an experienced Product leader and an advocate for diversity, equity, and ethics in products. With Tanya, we will learn about data ethics, team leadership, and how to prioritise ethics in product.
Jenny Sahng
Founding team & Data Scientist at Multitudes
Jenny is a data enthusiast who is passionate about equity and climate action. We will be learning about how to think about data ethics and practical ways to mitigate risk when working with data.
Jodi Meadows
Indigenous Innovator and Senior Experience Designer at Ara Manawa
Jodi has spent 8+ years in Design and Art industries and will be sharing her knowledge on indigenous innovation, creative problem solving and co-design approaches.
From this cohort you will leave with actual practical takeaways and increased confidence about how to approach DEI in your work; real-world insights to use as reference points; practical tools around product strategies on making your product more accessible and inclusive.
KEY PROGRAM DETAILS
Start date
TBC
Format
Online group sessions
Duration
7 weeks (5 modules + 2 discussion sessions)
Time
TBC
Size
Max 20 members
Cost
$900 + GST NZD (or ￡500.00)
Includes 1 year COLAB Membership
This course can be paid for upfront or in monthly payments. We are happy to discuss flexible payment options as well.
If you are interested in using this program as part of your professional development spend, we can help you provide more detail for your company if needed. Also, Scholarships for Māori and Pasifika are available to join our upcoming programs. Get in touch with us at hello@colabcohorts.com for more information.
LEARN BETTER WITH COLAB
Our cohorts are designed to give you a richer learning experience.
Each week of learning with COLAB includes group collaboration, hands-on application, and real-world examples from current product leaders.
Sessions are live workshops with world-class Instructors where conversation and engagement are encouraged.
Join a cohort of engaged peers with who you will learn and grow alongside. Helping you create a community that drives your growth and theirs together.
Join the growing COLAB Community platform.
Trusted by professionals from top companies
TESTIMONIALS FROM COLAB MEMBERS
Great session, very confronting and eye-opening, and plenty of practical lessons to takeaway. An absolute must-do for every professional.
This course gave me such a safe space to grow and show up in a vulnerable way. It's facilitated by some of the most bad-ass teachers and it really gave me so much insight into how complex this topic can be and also what I can do to improve how I and my company shows up in the world in a variety of new ways.
Amazing cohort to be part of. Would 100% recommend to anyone who is curious and wants to immerse themselves in learning from others. Great balance of facilitator led learning + peer based learning. I love having different people come to share their experiences or perspectives and learning about the experiences of other people in the cohort, and changing my perspective and understanding things differently.
FAQ
Who should participate in this cohort?
We recommend this cohort if you have influence over the product built within your company and are looking to grow your awareness and knowledge of how to make them equitable and accessible. This cohort is probably not for you if you are currently doing / leading work in the DEI (ethics, accessibility) space in your company. Please reach out to us to see if it’s right for you?
What are the main benefits of doing this work?
Here are a few statistics that demonstrate the importance of designing and building inclusive technology for companies:
A study by McKinsey found that companies with diverse leadership teams are 33% more likely to see higher profits. Another study by McKinsey found that companies in the top quartile for ethnic and racial diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.
According to research by the Harvard Business Review, diversity not only improves an institution’s financial performance but also enhances innovation and decision-making within employee groups.
A survey by PwC revealed that a large % of consumers believe it is important for companies to take a stand on social and political issues and that inclusion and diversity is one of the top issues consumers care about. On top of that, 73% of employees said that they feel let down by what they view as slow progress on diversity and inclusion (D&I).
In addition to the financial benefits, designing and building inclusive technology can also help to mitigate legal risks, improve employee engagement and retention, and enhance brand reputation.
How much time do I need to commit to the program?
At a minimum we do need you to join the two hours per week that we have sessions. We would also recommend putting aside a few more hours to work on any async work and chat with fellow cohort members on what you are learning.
What are your payment options if cost is a barrier?
We want to ensure everyone gets an opportunity to invest in their growth and participate in our cohorts. Please reach out if you'd like to discuss flexible payment options and we will ensure you can access the cohort of your choice.
Are all cohort sessions online?
Yes, we hold all our sessions online to enable access for people from different geographies. But, we also love to meet in person too and organise wider Colab coffees and drinks regularly that you can join!
Do I need to attend all of the live sessions?
We highly recommend that you attend all of the cohort sessions. Of course, sometimes life comes up and we understand if people need to miss a session. If you do, we provide recordings of each session.
How can I learn more about a cohort to see if it is right for me?
Please reach out to us if you would like to talk more about a particular cohort. We are happy to talk and help you find the one that will give you the most growth and value.