BearingPoint’s Marie Ryan talks to us about the biggest trends in tech and how companies can attract more women to senior tech roles.
Technology moves at such a rapid pace that when you stop for a second and think about the rate of innovation over the past few years, it can be quite astonishing.
From smartphones starting out as little more than a novel concept in the 90s and early 2000s to becoming one of the most widespread technological accessories in the 2010s, or the advent of the generative AI boom just three years ago, tech has a habit of rushing from concept to commonplace in unprecedented speed.
But what about tech in the workplace?
Marie Ryan, a director of software at BearingPoint, has spent nearly 25 years working in the tech industry.
Speaking to SiliconRepublic.com, Ryan says that over the two decades that she has worked in tech, she has witnessed several major developments that have “transformed the technology landscape and the way we work”.
“The rise of cloud computing and a shift away from on-premise infrastructure has fundamentally changed the way we deploy and scale applications,” she says. “Agile and DevOps practices have shifted software development towards continuous delivery, with automation and continuous integration becoming standard.”
Further to this, Ryan says that the one of the biggest trends in the tech landscape at the moment is AI and test automation.
“This can be used to accelerate test generation, improve coverage and reduce maintainability,” she explains. “Capabilities such as intelligent test case generation and self-healing scripts can enable more robust test automation frameworks.”
However, she clarifies that not all AI tools are created equally.
“Ensure that you run evaluation processes and procedures so that you understand the limitations and benefits of all tools,” she advises.
Diversity in tech
As well as tech innovation as a whole, Ryan says a major trend that continues to shape the industry is the emphasis on diversity and inclusion, which she believes has reshaped “the culture of the industry”.
Women have had a significant effect on the tech industry, especially as pioneers in the early days of computing. Ada Lovelace, for example, is often considered the first computer programmer, and is credited with being one of the first to recognise the far-reaching potential of computers beyond calculations.
However, despite women’s considerable role in the evolution of tech, today under a third of the global tech workforce is comprised of women.
To attract more women to tech, and to tech leadership in particular, Ryan believes that mentorship and sponsorship programmes are “essential” to help women progress to senior levels – practices that Ryan herself cites as a particular benefit to her own career.
She also says that flexible working arrangements and visible female role models will “strengthen retention and leadership development” in relation to women in tech.
The importance of diversity in tech, Ryan says, lies in its ability to bring together people with various backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.
“They challenge assumptions and bring fresh ideas, which leads to more effective and innovative solutions,” she explains. “Organisations should foster a workplace culture that celebrates our differences and acknowledges and recognises individual achievements.”
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