In the field of computer science, men have always been the majority. Because of changes in social construct, more women are going into the field. The ratio of men to women is being affected, but there is still an imbalance of gender diversity in computer that could prove to be very harmful if not addressed. It is crucial that companies and everyone involved in the field take note of this issue before it causes serious problems.
There are many reasons why women should be more included in the field, and one is that women and men think differently. A good percentage of what computer scientists actually do is problem-solving. Whether they are developing software to assist other programmers and artists or they are making a device that improves everyday lifestyle, problem-solving is an integral skill. The simplest way to solve problems in the best way possible is to approach them with many different angles. Already existing technology could be updated quicker with different minds working to fix known bugs and issues. New technology will emerge with varied crews of people. As far as companies go, gender diversity is the only way to stay competitive. The field would more efficiently expand and evolve with unique minds to solve issues.
Likewise, gender diversity could improve products created in the computing field. Everyone is using technology nowadays. No matter what age, race, or gender, any given person has at least one device. It is important to know what the target market for any kind of product favors and likes, and with a male-dominant crew, how would a developing team know what to do to satisfy both men and women? Obviously, a company could only successfully cater their products to everyone with a near-even ratio of men and women on their team. Together they have a far greater opportunity to make something that everyone could enjoy.
To further the point, one issue that has already started to bloom in the field because of lack of gender diversity is “brogramming”. This refers to large groups of men in computing who act as if they are in a frat house instead of a workplace, and it is a trend gaining enough attention to receive a nickname. If females were more prevalent in the field, situations like this would be less likely to occur. Overall, this would benefit companies by deterring employees from exhibiting poor behavior and lollygagging. Productivity would most certainly rise. It would also make new employees feel more welcome by making getting employed seem less like joining a club and more like a job. In addition, having females to break apart these cliques would keep a business looking professional.
To conclude, as social constructs change, the field of computer science must follow. Without the cooperation of great thinkers, both male and female, the field will not continue to flourish. Keeping workplaces male-dominant would only be holding the growth of technology back by eons, and to stop this tragedy from occurring, computer scientists and all involved need to address it as soon as possible.
