Does Diversity Add Value in Engineering or Just Complexity?

[Anonymous]

Does anyone believe diversity is valuable in most engineering or tech fields outside of corporate settings?

I lead a team of about 20 software engineers, and I struggle to see the value in diversity as it is currently being pushed at the corporate level. In some cases, it feels like it introduces challenges, particularly around communication, language, and cultural differences, which can add overhead to collaboration.

I can see where diversity makes sense in areas like outreach or programs focused on learning about and working across different cultures. I also see value when a tech company is serving a specific country or industry, where having a subject matter expert who understands that market can help guide the team. But that does not necessarily mean those individuals need to be embedded directly on the core engineering team.

In core engineering roles, I question whether diversity provides meaningful benefits beyond corporate talking points or checkboxes. In certain industries outside of tech, like power line workers and other roles where clear communication is critical for safety, these challenges could even pose risks.

Am I off base here? It sometimes feels like what is labeled as diversity in the tech industry is actually driven by cost considerations, such as hiring through visa programs, rather than a genuine focus on diverse perspectives.

[Anonymous]

I think diversity of experience can be helpful as someone might approach a problem differently based upon being trained differently or working in a different environment. That new approach might mean the difference in solving an engineering issue more quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone believe diversity is valuable in most engineering or tech fields outside of corporate settings?

I lead a team of about 20 software engineers, and I struggle to see the value in diversity as it is currently being pushed at the corporate level. In some cases, it feels like it introduces challenges, particularly around communication, language, and cultural differences, which can add overhead to collaboration.

I can see where diversity makes sense in areas like outreach or programs focused on learning about and working across different cultures. I also see value when a tech company is serving a specific country or industry, where having a subject matter expert who understands that market can help guide the team. But that does not necessarily mean those individuals need to be embedded directly on the core engineering team.

In core engineering roles, I question whether diversity provides meaningful benefits beyond corporate talking points or checkboxes. In certain industries outside of tech, like power line workers and other roles where clear communication is critical for safety, these challenges could even pose risks.

Am I off base here? It sometimes feels like what is labeled as diversity in the tech industry is actually driven by cost considerations, such as hiring through visa programs, rather than a genuine focus on diverse perspectives.

When results matter, only merit has value. Someone mentioned the diversity of experience. That’s absolutely valid, and is a compliment to merit. However, in 99.9% of cases we know what is meant by “diversity.”

You mentioned that diversity adds unnecessary overhead in your case, and I believe that is the point. It is done to create an industry focused on implementing diversity. Hence, this type of diversity adds to product costs etc.

Merit should rule. That’s how success is built.

[Anonymous]

Not sure why merit and diversity are mutually exclusive. They can coexist and they have for a real long time now. What say you in these cases OP? Do you not hire a unicorn so you can form the biggest and the best good ol’ boys club known to man?

[Anonymous]

As a software engineer you are creating a product for a user. I work in the medical field and pretty everyday I see a colleague cursing at the computer “ who designed this piece of s***”. Diversity in your team would hopefully put the needs of my tech illiterate colleagues in mind when designing the tools they need to do their job.

[Anonymous]

Tech companies have a self serving view of diversity, patting themselves on the back for their large number of H1B staff.

Really, they are trying to take advantage of the power differential between them and these workers, who have limited ability to find jobs with competitors due to visa issues.

Diversity can be wonderful, bringing an array of perspectives to the table. But if it’s simply being used to rah rah H1B hiring, there might be other factors at play.

[Anonymous]

It depends on which kind of diversity.

If designing a seat or automotive controls, it helps to have short, medium, and tall people to ensure that the controls would work with a wide range of customers.

[Anonymous]

I"m in tech and the usual issue is nearly all the engineers are male. We've added some women, as well as people who really understand accessibility (designing software so it can be used by those who are colorblind; blind; etc) and that has improved our product.

[Anonymous]

Companies like diversity because it increases the talent pool which means lower wages

[Anonymous]

In an ideal world, people bring different life experiences to a problem and you get better solutions. No one wants a team that is all white, all asian, all black etc. But of course you need everyone to be smart and talented. And sometimes the compromises become a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In an ideal world, people bring different life experiences to a problem and you get better solutions. No one wants a team that is all white, all asian, all black etc. But of course you need everyone to be smart and talented. And sometimes the compromises become a problem.

In Basketball it works best little diversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: As a software engineer you are creating a product for a user. I work in the medical field and pretty everyday I see a colleague cursing at the computer “ who designed this piece of s***”. Diversity in your team would hopefully put the needs of my tech illiterate colleagues in mind when designing the tools they need to do their job.

+1. Diversity is vital to product design / development, and more generally to problem solving. People with different backgrounds solve problems different ways or see solutions that you didn't.

IME, when somebody has a problem with company diversity goals they are nearly always in a middle management job where the "problem" they are solving is staffing or BS team building stuff, rather than customer-facing products.

[Anonymous]

OP, are you talking about racial diversity? It has no place in tech.

[Anonymous]

I personally believe that lack of diversity in tech is a societal problem.

When I see what men in Silicon Valley create as businesses and the way their funding networks work it is pretty upsetting.

Someone once wrote that Silicon Valley solves the problems of affluent young men and I think that kind of nails it. Then, using Tesla money, Elon Musk started messing with our government via DOGE. It's still not clear what personal data his creepy young protégés stole.

[Anonymous]

You are not a true engineer. True engineers value humanity, perspectives, and the unquantifiable aspects of people. Real engineers see problems as opportunities; and use these problems to create more robust solutions. You insult and dishonor our profession….