Making Software Development More Diverse and Inclusive: Key Themes, Challenges, and Future Directions

• DOI: 10.1145/3711904
• Publication Date: 2025-01-16T14:48:33Z
• Authors: Sonja M. Hyrynsalmi; Sebastian Baltes; Chris Brown; Rafael Prikladnicki; Gema Rodriguez-Perez; Alexander Serebrenik; Jocelyn Simmonds; Bianca Trinkenreich; Yi Wang; Grischa Liebel
• Keywords: Software Engineering (cs.SE); FOS: Computer and information sciences; Computer Science - Software Engineering

Introduction : Digital products increasingly reshape industries, influencing human behavior and decision-making. However, the software development teams developing these systems often lack diversity, which may lead to designs that overlook needs, equal treatment or safety of diverse user groups. These risks highlight need for fostering diversity inclusion in create safer, more equitable technology. Method This research is based on insights from an academic meeting June 2023 involving 23 engineering researchers practitioners. We used collaborative discussion method 1-2-4-ALL as a systematic approach identified six themes around theme “challenges opportunities improve Software Developer Diversity Inclusion (SDDI)”. benefits, harms, future directions four main themes. Then, we discuss remaining two themes, Artificial Intelligence & SDDI AI Computer Science education, have cross-cutting effect other Results explores key challenges promoting SDDI, providing roadmap guide both underline requires constant focus maximizing benefits while minimizing especially vulnerable As community, must strike this balance responsible way.