Why Changing Hearts & Minds Doesn’t Work When Promoting DE&I Efforts, but Checklists Do

Key Insights

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  Initial DEI efforts focused on changing hearts and minds often lead to burnout without measurable impact.

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  Bias in hiring decisions can manifest as unequal standards for candidates based on race and gender.

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  Creating a set of 12 core competencies helped objectively define key skills across multiple design roles.

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  Focusing on action-oriented 'I can' competencies over subjective knowledge helped reduce bias.

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  Hiring cheat sheets tied to competencies guide interview panels and reduce individual bias.

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  Performance reviews are high-risk areas for bias due to confirmation bias and the halo/horn effect.

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  Requiring three pieces of evidence for each feedback item reduces unsubstantiated biased comments.

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  Managers auditing peer feedback enables identification and mitigation of bias during reviews.

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  Evidence-based performance review workshops empowered teams to discuss and call out bias openly.

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  Scaling equity efforts requires integrating objective criteria into organizational processes, not just discussions.

Notable Quotes