Understanding equality, diversity, inclusion and unconscious bias in our minds, services and product design

My talk will enable Delegates to gain first hand knowledge of Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Unconscious Bias. This knowledge will greatly assist delegates in embedding equality, diversity and inclusion into the design of websites and web related products.

Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Unconscious Bias:

Implicit or unconscious bias occurs when our brains make extremely quick judgements and/or assessments of groups and individuals. These biases or snap judgements are often pre-judgments or prejudices that are not in the main factually based. Unconscious bias is far more prevalent than conscious bias and unconscious biases are often incompatible with ones conscious values.  Our biases are influenced by factors such as our background, stereotypic views, cultural environments and personal experiences. Unconscious bias can lead to prejudice, which is defined as:

Prejudice – ‘An opinion or feeling about individuals or people of a different group, which is formed beforehand, without informed knowledge, thought or reason and which is likely to be sustained even in the face of evidence to the contrary’.

Bias is a pre-judgement in favour of or against a thing, person or group compared with another. An individual, a group, an organisation or institution can hold biases, both conscious and unconscious. Unconscious bias can be damaging to individuals, organisations and is considered to be the root cause of many discriminatory practices in the workplace and across society in general. Unconscious Bias is natural, (we all do it), Its unintended, It can effect decisions and it can be mitigated.

The impact of unconscious bias heavily influences how we make decisions about groups and individuals as we navigate society and in particular the workplace. My talk will cover the key characteristics of unconscious bias and facilitate a change in the mind-set of delegates that will ensure a more ‘intelligent’ way of thinking and processing information that we currently hold and are likely to receive about individuals and groups.  Delegates will develop a greater understanding of how to manage personal biases in a professional manner.

Key Contents:

• Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Unconscious Bias
• Embedding equality, diversity, inclusion in website design
• Challenging stereotypes, prejudices and myths.
• Equality, Integrity, Honesty and Dignity: ‘Competence’ & ‘Confidence’
• Subject & Object: ‘My’ value sets and cultural viewpoints: Luggage or Baggage
• Prevention, Pro-action & Promotion
• Personal & Professional Boundaries: Setting and Understanding the Parameters
• What is Unconscious Bias
• Understanding the ‘Unconscious Mind’
• Affinity Bias
• In-group Bias
• Stereo-typing & Unconscious Bias
• Social Comparison Bias
• Decision Making and Unconscious Bias
• Recognising your Own Biases
• Why Controlling our Biases is Vital for a Healthy Workplace and Healthy Society

My talk will encourage delegates to develop Inclusive websites that responds effectively to equality, diversity and inclusion and products that are truly ‘discrimination free’.