An Event Apart

Human-Centered Design July 2020

Working together in diverse teams

Farai Madzima
UX Manager at Shopify
@farai_uxguy
What’s gonna happen
with hip hop?

Whatever is happening
with us.
We are hip hop.
Me, you, everybody,
we are hip hop.
We are the tech industry.
Me, you, everybody,
we are the tech industry.
We are the tech industry.
Me, you, everybody,
we are the tech industry.
Source: Peter Skillman
Source: Peter Skillman
Daniel
Coyle
Source: Daniel Coyle
What makes teams effective?

Safety
+ Belonging
Effective teams
+ Trust
+ Vulnerability
What makes teams effective?

Safety
+ Belonging
Effective teams
+ Trust
+ Vulnerability

Inclusion
 diverse
What makes teams effective?

Safety
+ Belonging
Effective teams
+ Trust
+ Vulnerability

Inclusion
How do you boost
safety and belonging
in diverse teams?
To boost safety and belonging

1. Use threshold moments

2. Say it properly
3. Make sure everyone is heard
4. Overthank
To boost safety and belonging

1. Use threshold moments

2. Say it properly
3. Make sure everyone is heard
4. Overthank
USE THRESHOLD MOMENTS

Day 1: Tell me why I’m here and where I fit

into the mission.
USE THRESHOLD MOMENTS

1st team meeting: Write a charter together

IMPORTANT MOMENTS

1st team meeting: Write a charter together

IMPORTANT MOMENTS

1st team meeting: Write a charter together

NSFW questions
• So where are you really from?
• What ARE you?
• Why don’t you sound African?
• But, you don’t act like a ________ person.
• etc.
USE THRESHOLD MOMENTS

When discrimination happens:

“Practice zero-tolerance with kindness.

In the moment.”
— Mekka Okereke (@mekkaokereke)
To boost safety and belonging

1. Use threshold moments

2. Say it properly
3. Make sure everyone is heard
4. Overthank
SAY IT PROPERLY

Just call me Fuz

Source: Daniel Coyle
To boost safety and belonging

1. Use threshold moments

2. Say it properly
3. Make sure everyone is heard
4. Overthank
MAKE EVERYONE FEEL HEARD

Rotate facilitation of regular meetings

MAKE EVERYONE FEEL HEARD

Give everyone a moment to think.

And share.
To boost safety and belonging

1. Use threshold moments

2. Say it properly
3. Make sure everyone is heard
4. Overthank
To boost safety and belonging

1. Use threshold moments

2. Say names properly
3. Make sure everyone is heard
4. Overthank
Effective diverse teams have an ongoing
exchange of signals that send a
clear message:
We share a future. We are connected. 
— Daniel Coyle (The Culture Code)
How can you boost
trust through vulnerability
in diverse teams?
Tell us about a difficult thing you overcame
as a child.
Well, I peed myself a lot at Kindergarten
What is one thing you’ve always wanted to
do? Why haven’t you done it yet?
Effective diverse teams make a habit of
sharing their vulnerabilities, so they can
improve together.
 diverse
What makes teams effective?

Safety
+ Belonging
Effective teams
+ Trust
+ Vulnerability

Inclusion
What’s gonna happen
with hip hop?

Whatever is happening
with us.
What’s gonna happen
with the tech industry?

Whatever is happening
with us.
We are the tech industry.
Me, you, everybody,
we are the tech industry.
Peace!

@farai_uxguy faraimadzima.com
@letspixelup pixelup.co.za
Resources
Read Visit
The culture map by Dr Erin Meyer http://www.peterskillmandesign.com/spaghetti-tower-design-challenge

Discussing design by Adam Connor and Aaron Irizarry

Radical candor by Kim Scott

Designing together by Dan M. Brown

The 5 Dysfunctions of a team by Patrick Lencioni

Play
Surviving design projects by Dan M. Brown

Listen / Watch
Black on Both Sides by Mos Def (Spotify)

So what by Miles Davis

Another night in Tunisia by Dizzie Gillespie