Gender Perspective in the Design of Digital Technologies: A Document Review

Abstract

Technology is not neutral. The various digital platforms that shape our everyday lives are embedded with values, hierarchies, and social structures —including those related to gender (Balmaceda et al., 2021). Numerous studies and research projects have shown that technical decisions made during the development of information and communication technologies can reproduce, deepen, or even generate new forms of inequality (Wajcman, 2004). While there has been progress in the theoretical conceptualization of gender perspective in the technological field, its practical application to the different phases of software development remains limited (González González et al., 2018). In particular, the design phase constitutes a critical turning point: it is there that functionalities, interfaces, potential uses, and interaction models are defined. 

This article builds upon previous research that identified methodologies applicable to different phases of software development with a gender perspective, concluding that most of them focus on evaluation and usability. Based on this, the following research question is posed: Are there methodologies that incorporate a gender perspective from the design stage of digital technologies, considering both technical and socio-ethical aspects? 

Among the central arguments is the existence of technologies —such as the Safe Delivery App (Maternity Foundation, 2019) or Plan International’s voice message programs in Bangladesh (Gardella, 2023)— that were intentionally designed with a gender perspective to address specific social problems. These cases demonstrate that not only is it possible, but also necessary, to incorporate this perspective from the very moment when it is decided whether technology is the appropriate path to address a given social situation. 

The methodology to be used is a documentary review with a qualitative and exploratory approach. Indexed academic databases will be consulted, under inclusion criteria that allow the identification of methodological frameworks applicable to the design of information and communication technologies. The aim is to document methodologies that consider technical elements alongside social principles, understanding design as a strategic phase for inclusion. 

The expected conclusion is to build an updated and useful overview of methodologies that integrate a gender perspective in the development of technologies, with a particular focus on software design. In addition to identifying technical frameworks, the study seeks to analyze how this integration can generate fairer, more inclusive, and transformative technological solutions capable of addressing the needs of women and other historically marginalized groups.