Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
Book Author: Caroline Criado Perez
Caroline Criado Perez’s book - “Invisible Women”, is a revealing exploration into the kind of data biases and gaps that we (mostly men, but even women) rarely realize. Gender data gaps affect everything from healthcare to urban planning and technology. Perez combined backgrounds in journalism and behavioral economics allows her to use meticulous research, and deliver it in an engaging story. Demonstrating how our world is often designed for men, leaving women marginalized in many subtle but significant ways.
In today’s increasingly data driven world, having data gaps can be quite literally fatal. Think healthcare - in theory we have very stringent and robust frameworks for data gathering and analysis. Yet, in healthcare women are frequently underrepresented in medical research. This oversight leads to treatments and diagnoses that don’t work as well for women. From “less” dangerous dosage of painkillers, to more severe heart treatments that were designed using data primarily gathered from research on male patients (in some instances male mice, actually!).
If healthcare was an obvious one - since there is plenty of data that can be reviewed and frameworks to scrutinize, a less obvious but ever-present one is the workplace, The book runs through a gauntlet of everyday biases, such as office temperatures set for male comfort (24C for women and 21C for men) and various protective gear designed for male bodies (have you ever noticed how construction helmets aren't friendly with long hair?). These factors make workplaces uncomfortable and sometimes unsafe for women. What makes all these biases worse is 2 fold - women work on average 30-45 mins longer, and are not compensated for it. I don’t mean lower pay, quite literally women do hours and hours of unpaid work in places that aren't designed for them (have you ever thought about all the breakfasts, school drop-offs, laundries and clean homes?). This is highlighting the broader issue of gender blindness in workplace and philosophy design.
Panning out even more, urban designs also fall short of incorporating features in cities for an inclusive environment. It is hard to fathom that snow-plowing in winters is a gender issue, but have you ever thought why do roads get first dibs, not sidewalks or public transportation routes? Well, unbeknownst to them - most drivers are men, they commute to work and back (what’s called a 2 stop commute) and most Ministry of Transportation staff are men too! They aren’t purposefully penalizing women, they are making decisions on the data that is around them - male data of 2 stop commuting. Women, on the other hand, who frequently juggle multiple responsibilities like school runs and grocery shopping, etc, and usually walk or take the public transport, which during snowy season gets dangerous. Infact, during the first instance this was identified: Sweden, the change (from sidewalks and public transportation first, then roads) not only served the purpose of women being included in urban design, but an important additional benefit was a massive reduction in ER visits in the winter. Turns out, safe sidewalks aren't just inclusive, it's safe!
Bringing this to 2024 and the tech world we live in. Algorithms and AI systems are becoming more and more mainstream. Often trained on billions and billions of data points that often have massive gaps in them. Take voice recognition software, it is typically less accurate with women’s voices because it's primarily trained on male data. This issue isn’t just an inconvenience; it reflects deeper systemic problems that need attentions. Focusing and funding innovations that are truly inclusive is difficult, no one is perfect but understanding that shortcoming and taking the data presented to you is no longer enough. For effective decision making, one has to realize what data might be missing.
Why I Recommend This Book
I recommend "Invisible Women" for its insightful analysis and compelling arguments that show the often-invisible ways data bias impacts women's (and human’s in general) lives. Perez’s meticulous research and case-study approach combined with accessible writing make complex issues understandable and relatable. Her ability to connect data gaps to real-world consequences is enlightening.
It reveals many instances of un-nefarious designs and frameworks that need to start getting updated. And that starts with the focus being human centric design. Involving all humans within the design process will start the trickle down effect so our health, work and environment are for humans.
