Work

Still an Uphill Journey: Women's Difficulties in Collaborative Gaming Events

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Gender disparity persists in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), impacting teamwork, productivity, and innovation. In the gaming industry, women constitute only 30% of professionals, despite comprising half of the players, raising concerns about effective game design and marketing for a diverse audience. Time-bounded collaborative events, such as hackathons and game jams, have been used to promote inclusion, providing opportunities for networking and skill development, among other benefits. However, game jams have low participation rates from minorities. This paper describes a qualitative study using card sorting and interviews with nine women game jam participants to elucidate their difficulties. We explore the interplay of these difficulties, the strategies employed to overcome them, and the subsequent impact on women's experiences. By shedding light on these issues, we aim to contribute insights that help mitigate barriers, fostering a more inclusive environment in the gaming industry and similar domains.

Source: Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction

DOI: 10.1145/3711073

Authors: Luciana Abdon Almeida, Mayara Costa Figueiredo, Giselle Layla A. do Vale, Any Caroliny Duarte Batista de Almeida, Leandro de Almeida Melo, Cleidson Ronald Botelho de Souza

Institutions: Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Universidade Federal do Pará, Universidade de Brasília, Universidade de Pernambuco

Language: English

Topic: Gender and Technology in Education

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Gender equality

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico