Women in Industrial Design: A review

Abstract

In most countries, women are underrepresented in the industrial design industry. Some people argue that this is because women do not work hard enough to be good designers, so they do not get hired for jobs. Others argue that women are discriminated against in the industrial design industry, leading to their underrepresentation. In this paper, I review the research on women in industrial design to look for answers regarding the gender patterns seen in the industry. I employ theory from feminist Science and Technology Studies to explain how industrial design may be cast as a "masculine" field due to its association with technology, and areas of design where women have traditionally worked are considered "craft" rather than design. I describe how and why professional cultures and educational spaces in industrial design can be unwelcoming to women. I discuss how queer understandings can better inform our work in gender and design. I conclude with recommendations for future research and initiatives aimed at achieving better gender equality in the industrial design industry.