Agenda

Intersectionality considers different systems of oppression, and specifically how they overlap and are compounded. This is increasingly important because more companies are giving attention to D&I than ever, but often with a narrow, single-minded strategy: “We’re focusing on gender first.” This approach, while well-intended and increasingly positively impactful, is not the way forward for true progress. Here we consider what organisation can do to adopt a more intersectional approach to D&I.

Key takeaways include:

• Realising that by focussing on one area of diversity, like gender, can in turn only ever benefit a subset of the population
• Recognising that in 2019 non-intersectional D&I initiatives are effectively telling people they have to wait their turn!
• Evaluating what will happen if we fail to adopt intersectionality to our D&I initiatives
• Understanding how to go about adopting a lens of intersectionality?

Whilst we are still a long-way away from reaching true AI via the singularity, cognitive technologies are certainly here to stay! 2019 has seen, and continues to see the technology advance further, and here we will assess where AI is today, and how it will impact your business and your own communication experiences with brands and objects in the coming year.

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding the importance and impact of IoT per industry
• Examining the increasing role of machine learning from social media to how companies do businesses with their customers
• Evaluating VR’s abilities to deliver fully immersive digital experiences from gaming to sales and marketing strategies and future learning methodologies
• Assessing touch commerce and the impacts of one-touch purchasing
• Calculating the potential impact of cognitive technology on enterprise software

You've had a fantastic idea for a startup, you can roughly see how to plan it out - now it's time to put your thoughts and words into action and build a killer business plan! A great and clear business plan that puts you in the position to onboard a team and even investors will stay with you and be the backbone of your future growth. In this session we examine the key components and insights for creating your best business plan.

Key takeaways include:

• Learning how to determine and outline your company's objective
• Identifying your target market and analysing your competitor landscape
• Deciding your power structure
• Identifying your financial goals and projections and beginning a budget

In this workshop, learn how building your own personal and professional brand can help position you as a thought leader and ultimately benefit your career. This session will touch on the importance of listening to the right influencers, being engaged in online and professional communities and leading conversations around your interests.

Key takeways include:

• Learning to lead conversations around your interests
• Examining how to utilise and best use different online platforms
• Implementing and sharing your vision for your current and future self

Python is a widely-used, general purpose, high-level programming language that was developed for emphasis on code readability. It lets you work quickly and integrate systems more efficiently. In this introductory workshop, we'll go over the basics of what is considered to be the next generation language. Open to all levels - knowledge of other programming language a plus but not required.

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding the reasons for Python's increased popularity
• Learning the use cases of Python 3 and Python 3 variations
• Examining the different software making use of Python and its current applications
• Understanding the differences between Python and Java

Small instances and off-hand statements are often the majority of how we detect unconscious bias. These small instances can build up to a feeling of lack of belonging and can lead us to question our 'fit'. How do we spot these behaviours and what can we do to stop them from happening? We explore how to proactively discuss and stop microaggressions in the workplace.

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding what microaggressions are and how to identify them
• Learning how to open up the conversation without leading the other to feel accused and defensive
• Examining how to get colleagues to support and effectively change aspects of the culture

Men, as the majority player in the tech workforce have a very important part to play in paving the way to increased female tech representation. But specifically, what can and should, men be doing to help pave the way for more women? We will consider this and more during this presentation.

Key takeaways include:

• Setting the groundwork for change - understanding the goals of allyship in tech
• Examining best practices for attaining positive, impactful engagement from male colleagues
• Tips for increasing their engagement with D&I within and outside work
• Learning how to increase support and sponsorship with male colleagues 

The more points of evidence you have, the more likely our ideas are believed; this is something that all of us have been conditioned to believe! In today’s world, as the sheer volume of data continues to grow, and terms like ‘big data’ and ‘internet of things’ have become ubiquitous, how we communicate insights from data is becoming more and more important. In this session, you’ll hear about some of the techniques used to tell compelling stories with data, and how that can impact your influence with external and internal stakeholders.

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding of how data stories should be structured
• Tips for using data storytelling to gain both internal and external credibility
• Real working examples from leaders in the data analytics space
• Skills you can apply in your own field to tell great stories with data

Getting a company off the ground is an uphill battle, but tech-oriented projects tend to carry added expenses with hardware needs, software licensing, and the average salaries of STEM professionals in the Irish hyper-competitive environment. Often, funding these startups can be a challenge, especially early on before any investment or revenue. So, what is the differentiator between success and failure? During this session we will consider all this and more:

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding the dynamics of the different funding routes
• Learning about the resources available to you in Ireland and the programmes available for female founders
• Analysing how founders can retain control whilst collaborating with funders and driving growth
• Reviewing the differing legal structures that can help in attracting funding
• Examining how to manage investor disputes should things go wrong

The industry needs people with a wide variety of skills - breaking the current "brogrammer" stereotype is crucial to achieving that. Cases where women have been expected to fall into this category are far from unheard of! We all have a part to play in showing what a great industry for everyone tech is and ultimately changing the face of the sector for good - we're more than ready for it, let's get started...

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding your individual power and opportunity in changing the status-quo
• Understanding the importance of both internal and external perception to shatter stereotypes
• Learning to leverage social media to help encourage students to consider tech careers

We are getting closer to a reality where everything is connected to everything and this sparks a lot of conversations from ethical implications to fear of hacks and being "made obsolete". There are a lot of hurdles we need to jump over to create and successfully run a tech-positive world. In this session we will look at what to expect from Internet of Things landscape of the next decade and what we can do to ensure we're enabling a positive, safe growth.

Key takeaways include:

• Assessing what a more connected future will mean at an industry-by-industry level
• Realising still unseen potential from IoT across industries
• Understanding AI’s potential for harm as well as good
• Assessing the opportunities and job roles we expect to be on the rise

It can feel like we hear the same entrepreneurial story over and over again: I quit my job, worked hard, and now I have a business. While that may be true, as a general theme, there are many unique stories that have yet to be told – and those stories are the ones that truly inspire. They’re not one-dimensional; they’re real and raw and most of all, relatable. We will hear from different and equally amazing female founders at the 2019 Women in Tech Dublin event. They will share with us their successes and challenges on their founder journeys, to help inspire you to start your own story!

In this workshop we will discuss the tools you can use to map out your career moves whether they be vertically, laterally, or jumping into a new function all together. You will be able to use these tools to help you in a variety of situations.

Key takeaways include:

• Learning how to use the role you are in now to begin harbouring skills for your future move
• Examining how to incorporate your superiors into your plans
• Discussing how to manage career uncertainty and pivot when changes or obstacles arise
• Creating your leadership resource list
• Understanding the role our other experience, outside work, play in our career development

Gender Pay Gap Reporting made a splash across all industries in 2019 resulting in several countries passing legislature for mandatory reporting and many changes at an organisational level since. The results, as many of us expected truly pulled back the lid on just how deep this issue runs. Many of us now wonder, how do we open up this conversation with our employers? We discuss...

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding the gap in the tech sector and where it is coming from – Is it roles or pay?
• Assessing the impact of the changing jobs market
• Reviewing how improved STEM for girls can help towards closing the tech-sector gender pay gap
• Examining how technology can help close the gender pay gap

You've got several years of experience under your belt, you've put in your fair share of time, sweat, and tears, and by your calculations, it’s your turn to move up into a leadership position. But where to start? How do you position yourself and secure that leadership role? During this presentation we will hear practical tips and advice on what you can do to help advance your career for 2020!

Key take aways include:

• Looking at your current role and assessing the opportunities that could be available to get you closer to the next level
• Evolving the way women are expected to behave so we don’t fear leading from a place of strength
• Assessing the tools you’re going to need to effectively handle leadership challenges successfully
• Finding alternative paths to connect with colleagues or leaders in the positions that you ultimately see yourself evolving into, so you can ask questions and see them in action

Blockchain is set to impact the legal, cyber security and health care sectors (to name but a few) and many predict that it will be spear-headed by the Irish tech sector. We've all heard of blockchain in the context of cryptocurrency, but there are so many more use cases for your business. Let's look at how some companies have managed to integrate it and use it to make their business better and where we can take it from here.

Key takeaways include:

• Gaining a clearer understanding of blockchain’s cross-vertical applications - from banking, healthcare, politics, insurance, Government, retail, real estate, legal industry, charities, education and beyond
• Road mapping its potential for forecasting, crowdfunding, smart contracts, identity management, security and more
• Identifying how blockchain could work in your organisation e.g. protecting IP
• Clarifying where not to use blockchain?
• Predictions for the blockchain space in Ireland - will we be a global blockchain hub in the next few years?

In many organisations, the business and technical teams often sit in different parts of the office and only communicate in formal setting. This can lead to problems for both sides and ultimately hinder potential growth. In this session, attendees will see how we can encourage better collaboration and understanding to drive progress and better working.

Key takeaways include:

• Building a feedback culture across teams for better transparency
• Understanding the goals and drivers of the different teams
• Communicating the non-monetary values of technical ideas for the business

We all need to have difficult conversations at one point in time - whether it's to ask for a raise, bring up an issue or discuss a sensitive but important topic - and it's never easy. However, there are ways to make these cases as painless, and productive as possible. We share the insights and recommendations for several different categories of conversations we have the most trouble with.

Key takeaways include:

• Increasing awareness and monitoring the language used
• Learning how to structure difficult conversations for proactive outcomes
• Understanding the crucial role of emotional intelligence before, during and after confrontations

No one disputes that good UX & UI is centred around the human experience and truly understanding it. But, as the diversity and inclusion conversation expands and evolves, we're seeing that it's becoming increasingly fundamental to create different ways for people to participate in the experience and engage with products. In this workshop, we'll look at key principals to adhere to for inclusive UX/UI and trial creating a truly inclusive UI!

Key takeaways include:

• Can we really provide equivalent experiences and how do we align this to business?
• Learning how to seek out and identify points of exclusion and situational challenges
• Understanding the breadth of your user characteristics
• Recognising personal biases and involving the wider user community in your testing and creation

Finding the right people to join you in your startup venture is difficult, but it’s well worth your time and effort in putting in the leg work to find the right people. As a startup founder who doesn’t have infinite resources for recruitment and training programs, you can still save yourself a lot of grief (and money) by taking charge of the hiring process. Here, we explore and give you the chance to test who your first hires should be to build your ideal strong foundation for your startup!

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding that YOU are your first hire: The CEO
• Realising that if you’re a non-coding founder, then you will need to invest in a front-end engineer, preferably with experience in UX and design
• ...And then there’ll also be the back-end engineer
• Integrating a Marketing Manager
• Understanding what it is your trying to deliver and who will you need to help realise that vision

In this digital era, the lines between work and home time are blurring - we are constantly connected, we receive communications long after work, we can work from anywhere in the world and still be virtually connected to our teams and the temptation to answer a few 'quick emails' after work is stronger than ever. Therefore, how are relationships with work changing? What might the future new work model look like, and how do we start thinking more about balance. These are important questions and becoming increasingly central to the evolution of work and to our well-being and in this session we explore the ways we can improve our "balance" in this increasingly digital and connected landscape.

Key takeaways include:

• Analysing the role technology will play in the future of work/life balance
• Shifting our thinking more towards integration and alignment than balance
• Understanding the relationship for employers between flexibility and workplace happiness
• Thinking beyond just ‘hours’ to what the workplace experience really means today

An exciting application of AI can be found in ChatBots. During this presentation, the limitless scope of ChatBots will be explored.

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding of the various milestones reached by leading players in bot technology
• Clarity around the future and potential of chatbots as it adopts greater AI
• Roadmaps of the current and future applications for chatbots
• Tech-investment strategies – Pinpointing the industries that stand to gain the most both now and in the future?

As the industry evolves at an alarming pace, we're under great pressure to update or completely change our systems. Doing so when we have years of data and processes in place is a huge feat for anyone. In this session, we will look at case studies of implementing large scale digital changes and how adoption was handled and encouraged across orgs.

Key takeaways include:

• Aiding user acceptance and implementation of new systems
• Learning how to identify and rectify unknown dependencies on the legacy systems
• Planning for workflow issues and implementing realistic time scales for adoption
• Finding points of intersection between legacy and cognitive technologies

We often talk about the lack of diverse and inclusiveness in today’s tech sector, but more often than not this is from a perspective of looking out than in at ourselves. When we speak of unconscious biases role in the lack of diversity, its often in the context of how others’ unconscious bias might affect us. However, here we will look to flip this around, and consider if you hold unconscious biases against yourself, creating something of an ambition gap that might be limiting your success. So, what does self-inflicted unconscious bias look like?

Key takeaways include:

• Assessing if you consider senior-level jobs unconsciously unattractive due to higher stress levels and how people perform those roles
• Evaluating if you hold unconscious biases towards yourself around your ability to handle line-level positions
• Reviewing the strategies you can implement to tackle self-imposed unconscious biases – Mentors, listing concerns, meeting with people in the role you want to attain

In this session we examine and predict the possible future applications and developments of machine learning and deep learning as cognitive tech dominates the conversation around the future of the industry and society as a whole.

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding the practical differences between AI, Machine Learning and Deep Learning
• What will it take to build and artificial general intelligence – The role of big data, better algorithms and improved hardware?
• Where do we predict we will be seeing deep-learning implemented?
• Could we reach singularity in the next decade?
• What work functions do we expect to be the first to widely adopt machine learning? Deep learning?
• Do we need to fear for our jobs as we adopt AI?

We discuss common business challenges affecting multiple industries, chart current and emerging ways to address the challenges and propose a methodology for travelling the scoping and sourcing journey. Attendees will receive insights about where to focus the emerging technologies, how to reconsider the legacy and the possibilities for future change.

Key takeaways include:

• Building a technology roadmap for your organisation
• Reconciling your current technology with new tech and business needs for smoother transitions
• Understanding the big role data has to play in assisting our decisions when considering using new technology

Great mentors can have an enormous impact on your career. Their connections can open doors that would otherwise be closed, and their experiences can save you from suffering from the same mistakes they've already made. To find your ideal mentor, you'll need to be able to recognise what makes a great mentor for YOU and understand how to maximise the relationship. Here we will explore the top tips and tricks to help you have your best mentor-mentee relationship!

Key takeaways include:

• Recognising what makes a great mentor – the tougher the better?!
• Pinpointing how a mentor can help you develop and what you should be expecting from them
• Knowing how to identify when a mentor-mentee relationship isn't working
• Understanding what’s in it for mentors?
• Examining what sort of person makes a suitable mentor

Whilst diversity and inclusion in tech is commonly discussed in general terms, one area that is often overlooked is neurodiversity. During this session we will consider what neurodiversity is, but also what it means in terms of application to your organisation and its potential positive impacts for improved diversity and inclusion in your workforce.

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding what we mean by ‘neurodiversity’?
• Recognising that future tech will need neurodiverse workforces if it is to realise its potential
• Considering which industries are already embracing neurodiversity, and what impacts they have seen to business
• Assessing the practicalities of leading a neurodiverse team

It’s important when considering how work will evolve in the future not to overlook that we are still tackling old problems, on top of the new. That said, the future of work can also sometimes mean using new solutions to tackle these old existing problems. Flexibility isn’t a new ‘perk’ as such, but up to now its been one that is hard to come by in the workplace. However, flexibility at work is becoming more common and acceptable, largely down to the advances in technology. Working remotely and staying connected is now a global reality – But, still seen as a perk. As we move further forwards into the future of work will we need to change our attitudes?

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding the importance of seeing flexibility as a business asset
• Examining the impacts to bottom line from reduced physical real-estate costs of office spaces
• Improving employee engagement with better autonomy and freedom as a result of flexibility
• Realising that flexibility is still something that needs to be ironed out for working parents

Increased automation is allowing us to maximise the capabilities of both humans and machines. Future jobs will have more agility to explore and find interesting solutions to complex problems in tech. Let's look at the skills that are on the rise to help us for the jobs of the future.

Key takeaways include:

• Maximising your interdisciplinary knowledge
• Discussing the evolution of SMAC (social, mobile, analytics & cloud) skills
• Establishing the position of emotional intelligence in an automated future

As we understand the need of having organisations on-board with increasing the number of women in tech, it's more important than ever that we are sure they align with our values as we considering working for them. In this session, we look at what we should be expecting from our future workplaces and how to ensure they align with your goals and ideals.

Key takeaways include:

• Laying out the questions you should be asking in interviews
• Discussing how to approach the gender pay gap conversation
• Highlighting signs to look out for and research to do before making your next move

While we try to embrace innovation, the security threats made possible are often at the forefront of business leaders' and consumers' thoughts. In this interactive session we will examine cybersecurity landscape in 2019, think like the hackers of today (and ideally tomorrow!) , and examine security's evolving nature at the intersection of IoT, privacy and regulatory environments.

Key takeaways include:

• Learning about future trends as they relate to cybersecurity
• Understanding the hacker mindset and how this feeds into the future of cybersecurity
• Recognising how to protect yourself and your business whilst at the helm of the digital frontier

In an interactive session, you'll pay witness to the blunt and honest feedback from VCs as they watch startups pitch their hearts out. Come to gain real life lessons from seasoned VCs and to lift the veil on what NOT to do when stepping into your next VC meeting.

Key takeaways include:

• Practical advice from VC's and Angels on what they are assessing when choosing their next ventures
• Gain a well-rounded understanding of the strategic, operational and execution strategies that are most often left overlooked by startups
• Learn about the importance of brand positioning, technical expertise and internationalisation strategy

As we move into 2020, we are starting to see some in the tech sector embracing ‘returnships’ alongside OR even instead of apprenticeships in tackling their labour shortages. But what are returnships, why should we be giving them consideration and how can we support our fellow employees across all levels as we being embracing this new and inclusive industry answer to the skills gap.

Key takeaways include:

• Embracing career-breakers/changers into your business strategies for greater diversity
• Understanding that returnships expand much farther than women returning after a break to raise children!
• Examining the pros and cons of returnships over apprenticeships in tackling recruitment and retention
• Reviewing how to upskill fast to take advantage of returnships
• Understanding the resources and opportunities available for returners to the tech workforce 

Today, we find ourselves in a world fast filling with robots. They’re driving our cars, performing our medical procedures, influencing our elections and threatening to take our jobs (according to some). It is obvious we can’t live without them, but the deeper question of how we live with them remains unanswered.

Key takeaways include:

• Does the ethical development and use of AI require regulation?
• What are the biggest opportunities and risks legally over the coming decade in relation to the development and use of AI?
• As AI systems become increasingly autonomous in practice, will legal systems need to change in order to reflect and accommodate this autonomy?
• Does the creation of some form of electronic personhood need to be considered?

The role of coders is changing. We are now entering a new epoch driven by big data, semantic computing, machine learning and artificial intelligence, and 5G.
“So, what does this all mean for coders?” – During this session we will consider what coding for the future will look like.

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding that software developers need to focus more and more on continuous learning to keep pace with new open source ecosystems and tools
• Recognising that data, algorithms, neural networks and natural language processing are becoming increasingly intertwined in code, requiring more end-to-end systems knowledge than before in the coding community
• Exploring what this means in the future – Should we all be seeking to become data scientists?
• Examining if the future heralds the end for human coders with the advent of AI-enabled self-coding?

The Irish Government has set a target of delivering 47,000 high-level ICT graduates by 2022 to try and meet with the projected demand in the sector. While this is clearly a very exciting time to be in tech, we cannot ignore how short we are currently falling on these figures, especially when considering the diversity of these graduates as well. What can we be doing to help not only bridge the skills gap and attract this new talent to our organisations, but ensure that we're growing and supporting the next generation of the Irish workforce with inclusion and diversity as top priorities.

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding the expectations of the next generation and incoming workforce
• Examining the skills we should be promoting to an incoming workforce. Can we future proof the industry?
• Dissecting the Irish pipeline - is there an issue and if so, what can we do to rectify it?
• Learning from other tech-hubs, what can we apply to the Irish landscape?
• Sharing individual contributions we can all be making to increasing the number of people in tech from a variety of different backgrounds

When it comes to winning the war against hackers today, AI and machine learning represent critical innovation, but there is still far too much hesitation when it comes to AI, machine learning and its future in security. The future of cybersecurity is about embracing and innovating for the partnership of man and machine – both relying on each other in the fight against hackers. During this session we will consider just what this might look like and what are the next steps?

Key takeaways include:

• Exploring how AI can aid in reducing the complexity of analysis performed by humans in security events
• Understanding the role of machine learning to mitigate anti-malware and anomaly detection
• Looking from the other side – How are hackers utilising AI and machine learning to create malware?
• Pinpointing the danger of using AI and machine learning security algorithms

For those without a technical background, understanding the opportunities in the tech sector for ‘non-tech’s’ can seem daunting. The industry can often feel out of reach as a result. Not only do the barriers to entry seem high, successful female role models are somewhat limited. The result? Many women aspiring to a career in tech don’t know where to start. But, opportunities do exist, and we will examine here advice and guidance for breaking into a career in tech if you don’t have a technical background.

Key takeaways include:

• Where to start? Joining groups and communities and offering up insights to broaden your reach
• Finding yourself the right group of champions through attending events, LinkedIn, Twitter and utilising your existing networks
• Upskilling (fast!) – Learn the fundamentals of technology with a hands-on approach that will help you to stand out
• Consider something on the side! Utilising online platforms to develop your skills in a low risk environment.

As we move past 2019 it’s clear that business is moving quickly in applying machine and deep learning into their business decision-making. However algorithmic bias is one of the biggest risks companies are creating for themselves. Algorithmic biases can cause costly errors, which if undetected can result in failed projects and worse – an organisation going down the entirely wrong path completely! So how can we prevent this bias creeping into tech in the first place?

Key takeaways include:

• Critiquing how data scientists using algorithms need to master the shaping of their data samples to minimise the potential for bias
• Understanding that there are still some circumstances where algorithm-based technologies are simply not yet the answer for accurate results
• Examining the importance of testing in order to drive out bias from data-sets
• Pinpointing the common pitfalls where unconscious bias creeps into algorithms

It’s easy to just think of career advancement as a straight line. But increasingly many people are taking a different approach and look at more lateral moves as well. Why? A lateral move can be very beneficial in arriving at your ultimate goal. It offers the opportunity to learn new skills, increase your visibility and could ultimately prepare you for the promotion you are looking for. During this presentation we will consider the pros and cons of lateral career moves.

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding how a lateral move is proactive career management
• Assessing how best to leverage a lateral move to increase your visibility and build your brand in your organisation
• Exploring how to leverage lateral moves to improve yourself awareness
• Examining the potential pitfalls of lateral moves: stagnation, perception and professional side stepping

One of the most common pieces of advice we receive is to 'just be yourself'. But is this really possible in our work environment, is it even really wise? In an industry where historically we've seen little diversity and many of us have tried to adapt to the current culture, how do we begin to make this change and how can we encourage others to be themselves? Does how much one can 'be themselves' change according to seniority? It’s time to examine what’s possible, what’s advisable and where the truth ultimately lies.

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding and examining what it means to "just be yourself"
• Learning what elements are needed for an environment that encourages this level of honesty
• Questioning if there's anything we need to be holding back?
• Examining the Business ROI of 'psychological safety'