When Google gathered five woman technologists for a session on female-centric design at Google’s IO developer conference, it must have known the panelists would eventually critique Google itself. But the company was probably hoping the designers would stay away from Google’s soft underbelly, social networking. No such luck. The session, “Designing for the Other Half: Sexy Isn’t Always Pink,” was a wide-ranging discussion about how largely female communities are kept engaged at sites like pretty-picture hub Pinterest, fashion community Polyvore, and labor marketplace TaskRabbit. But the capacity crowd, composed largely of male programmers, looked up from their laptops when the discussion turned to Google’s runner-up social network, Google+. Read the full story on Wired.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with AI strategy, implementation and governance, as well as technology, media and marketing. Named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Technology, he is a bestselling author, covers tech and business for Fox 5’s Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN, and writes the popular daily business blog Think About This. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.