The Amazon Key delivery service has major issues that could have been identified if the company had gotten input from women and minorities. What do you get when you design, develop, create and release a technology-enabled service without the input of women and underrepresented minorities? I’d assume you get Amazon Key — the proposed service that would give Amazon Logistics personnel access to your home to deliver your packages — or something like it. No, really — I don’t know how else this would have happened. If women, people of color or LGBTQ+ people had been involved, I’d like to believe someone would have spoken up and said, “Hey, uh, did you think about why this is a pretty bad idea?” The problem with Amazon Key and how it was developed Obviously, the people who came up with Amazon Key have never had to worry about being sexually assaulted. Clearly, the people who came up with this idea have never been racially profiled, have never been stopped, pulled over, questioned, attacked by the police based on the color of their skin. Otherwise, they might be able to empathize and understand that the biggest problem here isn’t having packages stolen from your porch, but a very real fear of bodily harm, serious injury or death. And Amazon’s proposed safety features — you pay $250 for a “smart lock” and a Cloud Cam, which ostensibly discourages illegal behavior by delivery personnel — aren’t very reassuring. See also: Uber drivers and law enforcement body cameras. This is why you need diversity — so that when an idea like this comes up in a brainstorming session or, really, at any point in the design, development, testing or release — there are voices speaking up and pointing out how and why it could go horribly awry. Related content news analysis Google workers hold sit-in to protest retaliation In November 2018, Google workers walked out to protest the companyu2019s handling of sexual harassment allegations. Now, many say the company has retaliated, and they had no choice but to hold a sit-in. By Sharon Florentine May 03, 2019 4 mins Google IT Jobs Careers opinion Stopping workplace violence is everyone’s responsibility Tech companies have a social responsibility to help stem the tide of hatred and violence. By Sharon Florentine Apr 12, 2019 5 mins Staff Management IT Leadership news analysis Gender pay gap shrinks, but there’s still a lot of work to do Computer programmers saw the greatest pay gap reduction, but look beyond that, and you see how inequality for women exists in different ways. By Sharon Florentine Mar 29, 2019 5 mins Salaries Staff Management Careers news analysis D&I tech market grows as diversity and inclusion become a business priority There's been a flurry of activity in the diversity and inclusion (D&I) technology space as the tech industry uses its strengths to address discrimination and lack of representation. By Sharon Florentine Mar 01, 2019 4 mins C-Suite Staff Management IT Leadership Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe