1. Wireframing in App Development: Hacking the Limits of Working Memory

    Our latest blog post, in which we explain the wireframing process we’re using in the development of Web Start Women Courses and the psychology behind why it’s so helpful.

    web development  web design  programming  productivity  wireframing  startups  psychology  cognitive science  memory 
  2. So here’s my question: if all-male venture capital firms are investing in all-male startups, where is the female influence coming from? Who is guiding these companies on when and how to target women? With women making 85% of purchasing decisions and far surpassing men in their Internet usage, doesn’t it seem wrong that hardly any women are involved in controlling which companies create our future?

    Whitney Hess, in her post on the gender ratio of high profile early-stage venture capital firms.

    Summary: the teams are overwhelmingly male.

    gender  venture capital  VC  funding  startups  women  UX 

  3. Start-ups benefit from gender diversity

    Not the most shocking finding we’ve seen, but still, it’s nice to see the data. Research shows that women tend to make start-up dollars stretch farther and women-led start-ups are more successful at transitioning from early to growth phase. The article offers a few suggestions for getting more women on your team:

    • Adopt a diversity-minded hiring strategy.
    • Assign women to senior positions from the onset/ASAP.
    • Cultivate a company culture that values diversity.
    • Be open about atmosphere in your organization.
    women  startups  entrepreneurship  gender  diversity 

  4. More women in tech = better future for all

    Thanks to the Twitter machine, we stumbled on this terrific post by Alex Howard. It’s a crash course in why getting more women in tech is a good idea.

    The short version:

    • It’s good for men—stereotypes are reduced and people’s work is evaluated more accurately.
    • It’s good for women—when women are encouraged, they can devote more time/energy to the actual work because they spend less on just getting into the arena.
    • It’s good for technology—mixed-gender teams are more profitable and innovative.

    The post is excellent. Go read it, right now.

    women  tech  computer science  startups  programming 

  5. So here’s some good news

    Results of the latest audience survey conducted by Women 2.0 show that the percentage of the site’s users who identify as founders has doubled since their last inquiry in 2008—25% then to 50% now. If one allows the assumption that some of the same women completed the survey both times, this finding suggests that a number of women who were “thinking about entrepreneurship” in 2008 actually followed through and started something in the last few years.

    Other insights from the survey include that the Women 2.0 audience has expanded past San Francisco (where the organization is based); 54% of users are now outside the Bay area. Audience interests have shifted from networking to predominantly education and funding.

    women  entrepreneurship  startups  tech  Women 2.0  san francisco 

  6. Have you heard about the PA Conference for Women? It’s a one-day event jam-packed with great speakers (e.g., Gloria Steinem, Marion Jones) taking place in Philadelphia on October 25th.

    The folks at the conference were nice enough to send us a discount code to pass along—feel free to share with your friends! Use the code PACP24 for a rate of $135 for individual registrations (regular rate is $150). Going with friends? Register a table of 10 for $1,250 (regular rate is $1,400).

    webstartwomen  philadelphia  women  startups  Gloria Steinem  events  entrepreneurship  development  inspiration  learn 
  7. webstartwomen  startluck  picnic  Cambridge  Boston  events  women  web development  startups 

  8. Startup stories

    Audrey Watters relates key points for good startup stories from Seth Godin’s All Marketers Are Liars. Your startup story should be:

    • short
    • easy to tell
    • memorable
    • strategic
    • relevant

    and last, but not least:

    • Your story should make an argument. […] “My academic background here - and I do apologize - compels me to add Aristotle’s classifications of rhetoric. According to Aristotle, there are three modes of persuasion: ethos - making an appeal to your credibility, logos - making an appeal to reason, and pathos - making an appeal to emotion. Consider your audience as you weigh how best to make your argument.”
      startups  stories  narratives  entrepreneurship  tech 

    • The early bird gets a cheaper ticket

      If you’ve been thinking about participating in Startup Weekend Delaware, now is the time to decide. Today is the early bird registration deadline. Use the code “WebStartWomen” when you register and get $20 off.

      Not ready to get your ticket yet? Not sure whether the experience would be valuable? Don’t listen to us, listen to Yijen Liu, a product manager for mobile apps at Amazon:

      Key Learnings From Seattle Startup Weekend 2011

      startups  Startup Weekend  Delaware  entrepreneurship  design  web development 

    • Doing good, for yourself and others

      Have an idea for a business with a social-impact mission, but worried that now is a bad time to pursue it? Maybe not, says the NYT. Some tips to keep in mind:

      • It’s ok to make money
      • Venture capital is not the only funding option
      • Be wary of growth
      • Hire creatively
      startups  social-impact  entrepreneurship  guide  tips