[OpenStack Foundation] [Diversity] re: Diversity Workgroup APAC 2015-08-27

Eoghan Glynn eglynn at redhat.com
Mon Sep 7 15:48:33 UTC 2015



> Mate, you should come to the meetings.

TBH neither of the alternating timeslots works with my schedule :(

A couple more thoughts though on the survey design ...

Up-thread someone suggested an incentive for participation.

I'm not an expert on sampling methodologies, but I suspect such an
incentive would actually amplify distortions due to self-selection.

Instead, it would be sounder from a methodological perspective to
randomly select a subset of the population to survey, rather than
relying on reactions to an incentive.

Which bring us to the question of what that "population" actually
is here, i.e. where are we most interested in measuring/promoting
diversity?

I would lean towards the ATC community, since there's a requirement
to show some minimal concrete involvement (i.e. land a single patch).

Whereas the obvious alternative, the Foundation membership roll,
anecdotally includes many "paper" members with little substantive
involvement in the community.

Also I'd recommend removing the question on religion from the survey.
To my eyes, the question seems oddly out-of-place in a survey to be
undertaken within a technical community. The levels of adherence in
such a community may differ naturally from the overall population in
ways that make it difficult to reason over any data produced.

Cheers,
Eoghan
 
> Roland
> 
> On Thu, 3 Sep 2015 7:11 PM Eoghan Glynn <eglynn at redhat.com> wrote:
> 
> >
> >
> > > Interesting. Educational attainment as a proxy for merit ;)
> >
> > Not a proxy for merit, more as a foundation for success in a
> > knowledge/skill-based industry.
> >
> > > Education is one of the designated interest areas for the Diversity WG,
> > > hence it's inclusion. I'm happy to remove it of course if there is broad
> > > consensus that it isn't appropriate or needed.
> >
> > FWIW I'd recommend removing it.
> >
> > > Having said that, the question isn't whether something "should" matter.
> > The
> > > whole point of exclusionary practice is that it focuses on attributes
> > that
> > > may not matter. What is important is what is used to discriminate, and
> > > analysing which of those are valid and invalid.
> >
> > I'm concerned that we'd be getting into credibility-damaging territory
> > if we start talking about employers filtering candidates on the basis
> > of educational attainment as an exclusionary practice (with unfairness
> > and/or discrimination implied).
> >
> > > Is Education one of those attributes? Dunno. I've seen it used that way
> > and
> > > it certainly could be in our community (or in the hiring practices of
> > > employers in the community).
> >
> > When critically appraising hiring practices, IMO we need to carefully
> > distinguish between the innate characteristics of a person that do not
> > impact on job performance, and those acquired characteristics that can
> > and do so.
> >
> > Just my $0.02 ...
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Eoghan
> >
> > > Roland
> > >
> > > On Thu, 3 Sep 2015 at 02:16 Eoghan Glynn <eglynn at redhat.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > > > > I've added all the categories identified in the 3 phases that
> > were
> > > > > > > > previously agreed, and altered the questions somewhat. There
> > are
> > > > now 10
> > > > > > > > questions. I'm not keen to try to add any supplementary
> > questions.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Where I think we need to move beyond binary or simple data
> > > > (country,
> > > > > > > > age),
> > > > > > > > I have stayed with free text entry.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > I haven't yet written any introductory blurb about privacy
> > > > protection,
> > > > > > > > the
> > > > > > > > optional nature of the survey all the questions.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Similarly, I haven't yet addressed any issues around how the
> > survey
> > > > > > > > should
> > > > > > > > be targeted. I'm leaning towards a surveying a subset of the
> > > > > > > > population,
> > > > > > > > and trying to provide an incentive to participate (don't ask,
> > > > haven't
> > > > > > > > got
> > > > > > > > one yet), so as to reduce self-selection bias. Anyone with
> > > > professional
> > > > > > > > knowledge in this area please speak up.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > I'm unlikely to make the next meeting, so I'm afraid I can only
> > > > discuss
> > > > > > > > via email. We're running a little behind the original schedule,
> > > > but I
> > > > > > > > hope
> > > > > > > > to be able to engage the Foundation to commence the process of
> > > > > > > > executing
> > > > > > > > the survey by the end of next week.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > One area I always wonder about is English as a second language,
> > does
> > > > it
> > > > > > > hamper efforts to get engaged in the community? I suspect so and
> > > > would
> > > > > > > like
> > > > > > > to find solutions for further inclusion.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Can that be added if the goal of the survey is to identify areas
> > > > where
> > > > > > > underrepresented people may be struggling?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > It's an interesting question, but may be somewhat problematic to
> > > > > > include in a survey.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > For one thing, there are many in the community (who I've worked
> > with)
> > > > > > who would fall into that category of English-as-a-second-language
> > > > > > but would also have excellent proficiency in the language.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > So simply measuring the number of non-native-speakers doesn't
> > > > necessarily
> > > > > > tell us much in terms of hampered participation.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Also, it seems to cross the line between counting those with some
> > > > innate
> > > > > > characteristic (gender, orientation, race etc.) into counting those
> > > > with
> > > > > > an (assumed) lack of mastery of a skill needed to thrive in the
> > > > community.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Their proficiency can and will improve over time with sustained
> > use.
> > > > Also
> > > > > > the community can make allowances and level the playing field
> > somewhat
> > > > by
> > > > > > say promoting co-presenters for design sessions or mandating the
> > use of
> > > > > > IRC as opposed to voice comms, but I would suspect that some bar in
> > > > terms
> > > > > > of baseline English fluency will remain long-term.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Cheers,
> > > > > > Eoghan
> > > > >
> > > > > Good points, Eoghan. Why not phrase the question directly?  Something
> > > > > like "Does the fact that the OpenStack community communicates
> > > > > primarily in English make it harder for you to participate?"
> > > >
> > > > Sure, that's better - at least it only counts those who consider
> > > > themselves truly hampered by a language barrier.
> > > >
> > > > Though thinking about it some more, and looking again at the latest
> > > > draft survey with the new question about educational attainment, I'm
> > > > thinking that concentrating on innate personal characteristics (that
> > > > shouldn't matter in terms of participation) would serve us better in
> > > > building diversity ... rather than straying into the area of malleable
> > > > characteristics like having earned an under-grad/post-grad degree
> > > > (that do, and arguably should, matter).
> > > >
> > > > Cheers,
> > > > Eoghan
> > > >
> > > > > Doug
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Also, just to comment on the survey sampling, we got less than 30
> > > > > > > responses
> > > > > > > to our Women of OpenStack survey, so keep it in mind that we may
> > not
> > > > get
> > > > > > > meaningful data that you can act upon. We may need to dig into
> > the
> > > > > > > Foundation data and enhance those profiles instead, if the goal
> > is
> > > > "find
> > > > > > > ways to reach underrepresented groups."
> > > > > > > Thanks,
> > > > > > > Anne
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Cheers,
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Roland
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > On Wed, 2 Sep 2015 at 11:42 Johnston, Tamara <
> > > > Tamara.Johnston at emc.com>
> > > > > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >> The Diversity WG is actively working on many things, including
> > > > moving
> > > > > > > >> forward with our Data Diversity Plan that includes analyzing
> > what,
> > > > > > > >> where
> > > > > > > >> and how we’re currently collecting this information,
> > determining
> > > > where
> > > > > > > >> to
> > > > > > > >> store this information, defining how to enable the core team
> > to
> > > > > > > >> analyze
> > > > > > > >> and
> > > > > > > >> report on this data, so on and so forth.
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> I support the stance the Foundation has taken in the past,
> > which
> > > > was
> > > > > > > >> to
> > > > > > > >> provide an open text field (and/or option to select “prefer
> > not to
> > > > > > > >> say”)
> > > > > > > >> that enables a community member to, if they so choose, share
> > their
> > > > > > > >> identity.  While we’re trying to better understand the makeup
> > of
> > > > our
> > > > > > > >> community we cannot limit the options they can choose from or
> > ask
> > > > what
> > > > > > > >> will
> > > > > > > >> likely be perceived as personal questions (do you identify as
> > a
> > > > gender
> > > > > > > >> minority).  We can either choose to use an open text field /
> > > > prefer
> > > > > > > >> not to
> > > > > > > >> say approach or take the hybrid approach that Facebook has
> > taken
> > > > where
> > > > > > > >> they
> > > > > > > >> list 50+ identities but still have an open text field.  I
> > suggest
> > > > we
> > > > > > > >> stick
> > > > > > > >> with what the Foundation has been doing, as this will enable
> > our
> > > > > > > >> community
> > > > > > > >> members to decide if they want to share their sexual identity
> > and
> > > > > > > >> they’re
> > > > > > > >> not boxed into choosing X, Y, or Z.
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> Regards,
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> *Tamara Johnston*  |  Cloud Portfolio  |  EMC Global
> > Services  |
> > > > (C)
> > > > > > > >> 1-510-398-9114  |  (E) tamara.johnston at emc.com
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> From: Roland Chan <roland at aptira.com>
> > > > > > > >> Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2015 at 5:15 PM
> > > > > > > >> To: Stefano Maffulli <stefano at openstack.org>, "
> > > > > > > >> foundation at lists.openstack.org" <
> > foundation at lists.openstack.org>
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> Subject: Re: [OpenStack Foundation] [Diversity] re: Diversity
> > > > > > > >> Workgroup
> > > > > > > >> APAC 2015-08-27
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> The existing data is being handled by another sub-team on the
> > > > > > > >> Diversity
> > > > > > > >> WG. I'm certainly keen to see it, but getting it isn't my
> > focus.
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> Regarding the opt-out capability, my intent is that every
> > > > question is
> > > > > > > >> optional. The survey itself will require a one page intro
> > where we
> > > > > > > >> address
> > > > > > > >> this and other privacy related issues.
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> Roland
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> On Wed, 2 Sep 2015 at 02:39 Stefano Maffulli <
> > > > stefano at openstack.org>
> > > > > > > >> wrote:
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >>> On 09/01/2015 08:53 AM, Amy Marrich wrote:
> > > > > > > >>> > I had sent this to a smaller section of the group but it
> > deals
> > > > with
> > > > > > > >>> > how
> > > > > > > >>> > the University of California asks the gender question and
> > also
> > > > > > > >>> > includes
> > > > > > > >>> > sexual orientation.
> > > > > > > >>> >
> > > > > > > >>> >
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > >
> > http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/07/28/university-california-offers-six-choices-for-gender-identity/
> > > > > > > >>> >
> > > > > > > >>> > We may be able to get a hold of their survey as a possible
> > > > > > > >>> > guideline.
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > >>> At the beginning of 2014[1], the OpenStack Foundations
> > started
> > > > asking
> > > > > > > >>> its members to specify their gender. The intention was to
> > start
> > > > > > > >>> measuring that aspect of diversity in order to improve it.
> > Since
> > > > the
> > > > > > > >>> gender issue is extremely new to society, there are lots of
> > > > acronyms
> > > > > > > >>> and
> > > > > > > >>> constant fluxes of differences among the non-binary genders.
> > We
> > > > > > > >>> decided,
> > > > > > > >>> after long debate and research, to use an open text form to
> > > > specify
> > > > > > > >>> gender because that's the most flexible one. Any other
> > system we
> > > > > > > >>> found,
> > > > > > > >>> including the one from UC above, had criticism because the
> > debate
> > > > > > > >>> even
> > > > > > > >>> among scholars is not set.
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > >>> You may have noticed that the form to subscribe to the
> > Summit for
> > > > > > > >>> example asks gender offering 4 options:
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > >>> - male
> > > > > > > >>> - female
> > > > > > > >>> - let me tell you
> > > > > > > >>>    > open form
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > >>> (I noticed now it's missing the very valuable 4th option
> > "prefer
> > > > not
> > > > > > > >>> to
> > > > > > > >>> say", which I think may be useful to have even if the
> > response is
> > > > > > > >>> itself
> > > > > > > >>> optional)
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > >>> Has anybody looked at the historic data about gender from the
> > > > members
> > > > > > > >>> database?
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > >>> /stef
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > >>> [1] A summary of that conversation is on my blog
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > >
> > http://maffulli.net/2014/02/05/tracking-gender-diversity-in-the-openstack-developer-community/
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > >>> _______________________________________________
> > > > > > > >>> Foundation mailing list
> > > > > > > >>> Foundation at lists.openstack.org
> > > > > > > >>>
> > http://lists.openstack.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/foundation
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > > > Foundation mailing list
> > > > > > > > Foundation at lists.openstack.org
> > > > > > > > http://lists.openstack.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/foundation
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > --
> > > > > > > Anne Gentle
> > > > > > > Rackspace
> > > > > > > Principal Engineer
> > > > > > > www.justwriteclick.com
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > > Foundation mailing list
> > > > > > > Foundation at lists.openstack.org
> > > > > > > http://lists.openstack.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/foundation
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > Foundation mailing list
> > > > > Foundation at lists.openstack.org
> > > > > http://lists.openstack.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/foundation
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Foundation mailing list
> > > > Foundation at lists.openstack.org
> > > > http://lists.openstack.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/foundation
> > > >
> > >
> >
> 



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