1. 1 Page

2. Overcoming a myriad of challenges as a
woman in IT Project Management
Aruni Siriwardene – Senior Project Manager, Navantis IT (Pvt.) Ltd

3. Contents
1. Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... 4
2. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Gender care Vs Equal rights .................................................................................................. 5
2.2 Working women - In IT and out ............................................................................................. 5
2.3 Women in IT Project Management (IT PM) ......................................................................... 6
3. Examples/ Case Studies:............................................................................................................ 6
4. Methodology/process followed .................................................................................................. 7
5. Key challenges identified and how to overcome them ........................................................... 9
6. Lessons learnt ............................................................................................................................ 12
7. Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 12
8. References .................................................................................................................................. 13
9. Author‟s Profile: .......................................................................................................................... 14
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4. 1. Abstract
From a South Asian cultural perspective, the challenges women face in executive positions is
proportionate to the protective nature of men in our region. The protections we grow with, nurtured by
our families tend to extend unknowingly to the workplace. Viewed as the gender requiring care,
women are coerced into believing themselves incapable of senior level leadership despite having the
advantages of a sound mind, clear judgment, and the privileges of a solid education. This is due to
the cultural disciplines, corporate immaturities in the organizations they work or personal pressures
surrounding them i.e. family expectations.
In a current global and local context, we have successful women leaders but what has been their
typical journey? What have they had to compromise? What is the value proposition a woman brings
to the table as a senior level manager. What value additions can they make to sustain competitive
advantage in their professions, in the geographical regions and in their personal lives?
As an outsourcing hub, projects executed from an off-shore perspective are wrought with the typical
issues of communication gaps, time differences, cultural divides and security concerns. What is the
role we can play in diminishing these challenges as: mentors; professionals; project managers and as
women!
This paper attempts to discuss the multitude of challenges women face as IT project managers in an
off-shore environment. What difference women can make for the profession by technical know-how
and upholding the PMI standards and professional values; and empowering others to follow suit
2. Introduction
Challenges come in various ways - challenges of work, of parenting, providing for the family,
educating our youth, safe-guarding our nation and the list is endless. For a woman, these same
challenges are somehow accentuated due to several aspects of cultural innuendo, dominant
individuals and at times the passivity expected of women.
Globally, working women face a consistent challenge of overcoming gender barriers; the sheer
numbers that take the step of looking for work as opposed to staying home is proof of the existence of
such barriers. In weighing the odds, women find it better to simply allow the rat-race to forge without
wanting to be a part of it. This implies that women may have a choice, but what factors is that choice
borne out of? If a woman decides to work, what are the multitudes of barriers to overcome?
As a woman; especially as a working mother, the responsibility of the well-being of another human
weighs on one‟s shoulders. Is it right for working mothers to be asked that their work take priority and
if it cannot then a choice be made? Similarly, if an employer hesitates to hire a woman by nature of
fact that her personal commitments might intervene in her ability to do the job properly, are they
wrong? What are the balancing acts required in a workplace to sustain the competitive advantages an
organization may gain from working women? How often or willing are organizations in trying to find
alternate methods to keep females employed? Clearly, if a woman cannot provide an advantage to
an organization, what would compel someone to hire her?
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5. 2.1 Gender care Vs Equal rights
The South Asian tradition, that males care for the females, has been passed down over generations -
ideally every human must care about other humans. So it is inevitable for a male counterpart to feel
slightly protective about the female, not based on the aspect of intellectual capability. It is important
that this is not misconstrued as a form of harassment.
The request for rights must be based on one‟s capabilities and skills and not merely because of
misnomers that trend down from generations.
2.2 Working women - In IT and out
In the field of Information Technology (IT), women have set the standards about the equality in
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knowledge from as far back as the 19 century, with Ada Lovelace being recognized as the world‟s
first computer programmer. Yet, despite the initial kickoff by Ada, the numbers of women who are
willing to pursue a career in IT have not risen as proportionately as early results would have hoped
for.
A June 2011, study by Gallup World, indicates that worldwide, women are less likely to have full time
jobs that are well paid. Figure 1 indicates that the largest gender differences in women having jobs
are seen in the South Asian and Middle Eastern regions.
Figure 1 – Employed Full Time for an Employer, by Gender
Research shows that countries are having a difficult time encouraging women to pursue a career in
technology. So it comes to a point whether it is more an equality issue as an issue of personal choice
for a woman. However, a study by the Women in technology forum on Women‟s careers in the
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6. technology industry reveals that despite the number of years of work experience had; it is harder for a
woman to reach a board level. There is no clearly defined gender bias; yet the glass ceiling persists!
2.3 Women in IT Project Management (IT PM)
A 2001 survey of US high school graduates, by the Arthur Anderson GROW (Growth and Retention of
Women) project, showed that “girls are 5 times less likely to pursue technology-related studies in
college”. A similar study by NASSCOM in 2004 of the South Asian woman showed an increase in
numbers due to the increase of jobs brought on by the proliferation of the off-shoring IT industry in
South Asia.
These numbers may not always be because of gender in-equality, but the fact that women impose
certain barriers on themselves. In a study on under-graduates, the number of girls venturing to study
computing is largely hampered by the stereotyping of the IT industry. In the west, studying IT is seen
as a „geek-factor‟ condemning one to a career in an isolated cubicle writing code. In the south, a
career in IT means a chance to vie for a higher paid job. There is also the added advantage of the
multitude of smaller institutes available for short duration computer courses in computing that affords
school leavers a chance at starting a job within a minimum time frame. A career in technology being
a choice is not always available in equal fashion the world over. Women could be coerced into
following a career path in a „female oriented‟ industry like teaching, nursing, child-care, retail, office
administration. Of course, there is a segment of men who are also pursuing similar lines of career
more often in the present age. More often than not, careers and industries requiring a larger
percentage of people interaction, soft skills, empathy, care giving tend to become the lot of women
pursuing a working career.
In a PM career, where people interaction, communication, organizational skills, leadership traits rank
almost as high as the process or domain knowledge required to excel in that field; what should be the
typical numbers of gender trends? Women in IT are already in short supply, but an article on the PMI
website indicates that women are leaving the industry behind. More and more women are moving
towards understanding the value of their careers in relation to the demands of being a woman and the
responsibilities that come with it – stereotypical or otherwise.
3. Examples/ Case Studies:
In South Asia, the majority of girls are brought up to believe that their male counter-parts are stronger,
that they should provide for the females, are far more intelligent and various other conditioning. Even
as women go through school, college and enter the workforce, it is unspoken but evident that the
older brother or father figure will prevail. For the women who take the step forward, it doesn‟t have to
stop at the older male counterpart; it works the other way and should extend to the older sister and
mother figure too.
Growing up as the youngest child in a family of two older brothers and an older sister, where both
parents worked, there was sufficient evidence to show that choices make a difference. A decade on in
a career as a Senior PM in IT, those early influences and home rules govern the person I am today.
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7. My father was a civil engineer who worked on a few notable projects in the country - a very intelligent
man from whom I learnt that honesty and integrity cannot be compromised. He was a project
manager in the construction industry when I was 12years old. My first glimpse into „project
management‟; came along when I was taught how to manage my chores at home. I learnt how time
is of essence and quality even more so. I learnt that budgets are important because money is scarce.
My mother worked as a personal secretary, she took to working because her father died in her youth
and her family encouraged her to go out into the world. My father worked with absolute passion, he
enjoyed what he did; a rare combination! He also worked to provide for the family. My mother‟s job
was encouraged because she could contribute to the finances, no pressure existed that she stay at
home, unless she wanted to and domestic help was a given then. Extended family members were
always available to look after us and daycares were unheard of. Of course, in hindsight, if extended
family were unavailable to care for the children, perhaps the outcome would be different.
As I advance in my career, I have learnt that at each stage in our lives; our needs and wants change
and gives rise to the roots of challenges we face. Using Maslow‟s hierarchy of needs in this context,
we start out a job because of a need (physiological); e.g. I need to provide for myself or help with the
family finances; or a want (esteem), e.g. I want to start out on a career like my mother did.
Irrespective of gender; the freedom of choice is what prevails in the journey of overcoming obstacles.
4. Methodology/process followed
Understanding one‟s freedom of choice can be strengthened when one is aware of one‟s value! To
solve a problem, first understand the problem.
The key challenges we face are attributed to the differing outlook about value that is shown between
men and women. This personal value scale is explain edusing a strategy model defined by Dr.
Uditha Liyanage, called the Liyanage Value Pyramid.
The use of this model in this context is to help women understand the differing stages we travel as
career women; understand where you are now and where you want to be a few years on.
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8. Actualizer
Psychological
Communicator
Value “of me” Social
Relational Member
Experiential Experiencer
Value “for me”
User
Functional
Liyanage Value
Pyramid
Figure 2 – The Liyanage Value Pyramid
Value “for me” – By moving into a job as an IT PM, What is the value I will gain? Dr. Liyanage
describes these as
Functional – what it does for me – “It gives me a job, affords an opportunity to get a salary”.
Experiential – what it does to me – moving into IT and/ project management increases my
knowledge, makes me a better candidate for a higher paid job role.
It is important to understand that no two people are alike; in knowledge, in temperament, in wisdom;
an apples to apples comparison is not possible when comparing the capabilities of a man and a
woman. It is situational to the job role.
Value “of me” – As Dr. Liyanage states “What is the “symbol that signifies” the value of me.” Being a
Woman IT PM, what is the value I can give to my company, my country and my family?
Relational – what it does with me (how do others relate to me) and Social Value – what it says
about me (the image portrayed)
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9. Interacting with individuals of an accepted or select group of like-minded individuals i.e. IT
professionals or Project Managers, one is stereotyped with the “capability” tag irrespective of gender.
One‟s value is created, the need for „you‟ is stated and an organization may go that extra length to
retain your services.
Take this a notch higher; by achieving a world recognized project management certification, the
image is improved further. The value “of me” manifests itself in the way others perceive the value “of
you”. Understand how to create that value in you.
Psychological Value – what it says to me.
By identifying my personal value, “I understand the sustainable benefits that I can provide to the
workforce”.
Once you have overcome the base needs of getting a job, gaining experience, understanding where
you fit in, the psychological impact of your journey reaches the power of choices. Choices make our
challenges seem less a burden and more an experience.
In a role as a woman IT PM; we have a larger role to play by becoming mentors to the younger
generation. That becomes the psychological value of me.
If the value „of me‟ is, by personal biases or unsubstantiated reasons, ignored; then a conflicting
situation arises. As a PM, a defining strength is to understand how to create win-win situations? As a
woman PM, experience is the best teacher; and employing win-win strategies, the most effective way
to overcome challenging situations.
5. Key challenges identified and how to overcome them
The challenges one will face are external (a battle of circumstances beyond one‟s control) and
internal (a battle of choices), from the glass ceiling to prioritizing your career over children and other
factors. If one wants a career certain pressing challenges must be overcome.
If mind-sets exist that women are wronged, negative perceptions will cloud our judgments. Women
could be wronged; but likewise, countries, religions, men and children are wronged too.
From a working woman‟s perspective, it is an internal battle to understand what your value
preferences and drive value in others for the benefits of the work at hand. A challenge can only be
successfully and completely overcome by oneself -because a challenge is personal.
Challenges (Internal) Questions to ask yourself / Overcoming the challenge
 Is IT the right choice for Do I like IT
me? What segment of IT am I thinking of.
Am I bothered about the „geek/ nerd‟ factor associated with IT
Am I willing to give what it takes to be in the field of IT
 Will I make a good project Do I WANT to be a Project Manager?
manager? What is a project manager and what constitutes a „good
project manager‟?
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10.  How do I achieve Work- Understand that life is a balancing act.
home balance? Surround yourself with people who are willing to help.
It will never be an ideal balance, be realistic.
 Children‟s upbringing and Understand that situations are never 100% risk-free
welfare in my absence? Rely on womanly instinct.
Invest in a trusted individual for your children.
Learn to give your children the benefit of complete honesty.
How women IT project managers can overcome some of the common challenges faced:
Challenges (External) Questions to ask yourself / Overcoming the challenge
 Glass ceiling effect. Is it evident in your organization?
Does it affect you or other colleagues and to what extent?
"The Glass Ceiling" refers
to an invisible barrier that Realize this is a conflict management situation. Ruth Hester provides
limits the level to which a an:
woman or another Aggressive approach:
member of a Realize that you cannot be equal - you must be better than your
demographic minority competition for promotions.
can advance within the If you have a lot invested, stay and fight.
hierarchy in an
organization” Realistic approach:
Win- Win situation
The best solutions are not all encompassing, but rather a targeted,
address the problem at hand solution.
 Lack of recognition State your case and ask WHY you are not given the recognition you
feel is yours.
 Lack of Support from Be the change you want to see and offer support to your colleagues
colleagues and peers and peers.
First understand your colleagues and then expect understanding.
ASK for support. Spell out what you need.
 Challenges that come If you are taking on responsibility, see it through to the end. Don‟t
with the job (frequent expect someone else to step in.
travel, late hours…)
For working mothers, being „available‟ is something that needs
mastering. With the advent of technology, global communication can
be managed easily.
Undesirable situations are not constant e.g. you will not always
have late working hours. Manage the situation.
“If you are going to sweep, give it all you have got”. When you are
working or at home with family, give the situation all you have got.
 Time Management If you are to be successful in anything you do; an IT role (time to
market is key); a PM role (mission critical projects); a mother (making
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11. Challenges (External) Questions to ask yourself / Overcoming the challenge
time for everything from teaching good manners to bed-time stories).
Time is something you have to learn to manage and fast. You will
never have time; learn how to „make’ time.
Read “The Test of Time, a busy working mother tries to figure out
where all her time is going” by Brigid Schulte.
Find out how much free time you have?
 Perception issues – Perception is based on an individual‟s senses. More often than not
the need to prove barriers are imposed by oneself upon oneself, the „mind-blocks‟.
yourself over your male
counterparts (experience) You will need to win the battle between what you present being
competitively more sustainable or advantageous than your colleague.
The best person will win!
IF, a colleague is chosen because of gender. Then that problem must
be addressed as explained in the „Glass Ceiling‟ challenge above.
Deal with perception issues by understanding the situation. There is no
Band-Aid fix to all perception problems.
 Your image, as an Just like you plan your IT projects; plan on what image you want to
employee, a manager, a portray.
team player, a mentor, a
sister/ mother figure As a working woman, a working mother, a working mother in the IT
field, a working mother in PM. Decide which hat fits when and where.
The same way you would wear a thinking hat to help you do a task
better and quicker, plan your daily round of hats depending on the tasks
at hand.
 Dynamism of the IT In order to get better at your job, constantly updating yourself on
industry: keep up or keep upcoming trends is vital. In IT, the dynamism of technology requires
out! that you keep abreast of the different trends.
This holds true for everyone, irrespective of gender. If time is a
barrier; refer back to the challenge of Time management.
Apart from figuring out HOW to overcome challenges, try to challenge
the challenges you have!
 Insufficient The percentages of women in the IT PM field are less than their
Professional women male counterparts. It is a fact!
peers and colleagues So for the few women who ARE in the IT PM field; it is a conscious
choice we made to be here today. We can‟t find a „role model‟ who
may give us a 101 „quick tips.
Deal with this by using your intellect and by a combination of people;
reach out to a male counterpart and a female working woman in a
different domain. Actively look for solutions
Set yourself up to the challenge of becoming a mentor and role
model to the many young women who you would like to see follow in
your footsteps.
This builds sustainable competitive advantage for women in IT PM.
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12. Challenges (External) Questions to ask yourself / Overcoming the challenge
 Family pressures – Dealing with family pressures in a South Asian context is always a
get married, have kids, task to reckon with. No amount of project pressures could possibly
In-law pressure, match the stress this brings about.
uncooperative spouse. Try to employ all of those soft skills, leadership skills, positive thinking
qualities that you possess as a Woman IT PM; call upon all the lessons
you have learnt in mission critical projects, the deadlines you have
delivered and using a huge dose of positive confrontation techniques,
meet the situation head –on!
Every situation is unique; negotiation tactics have to be different. Keep
in mind the end goal and be open to a win-win situation which might
involve certain changes on your part.
6. Lessons learnt
1) Expect challenges - in life; in IT, in Project management; and in simply being human.
2) Plan! Plan!! Plan!!! – and Plan for things not going according to plan
3) Don‟t procrastinate – manage your time.
4) Understand your role and what you must give – strive to always give more
5) Technology trends and PM methodologies - keep abreast of the changes
6) Find 30hours every week for leisure time. You owe it to yourself.
7) Learn the 7 habits to become highly effective (as a person, as a family, as a manager)
8) How common is common-sense? As a manager teach people, not things!
9) Work to accomplish the goal at hand. As a manager in a project, it is the best interests of the
project that should drive your actions!
10) Have a mentor or a best friend, someone with whom you can be nobody!
7. Conclusion
A challenge is an opportunity to better ourselves. Being a woman in IT PM, expecting challenges and
understanding their roots are key factors to learning how to deal with them. There are no „Band-Aid‟
fixes, and being a woman doesn‟t automatically entitle you to „first-aid‟.
Women in IT PM face challenges in several ways from gender biases to technology limitations to
juggling time between family and work - the South Asian woman has the added challenge of pleasing
the large relative pools.
How best women can pursue an IT PM career whilst still maintaining a strong sense of balance in
other equally important aspects of life are by understanding that you are not alone. A positive outlook
is demanded. Eradicating personal mind-blocks must be learnt; finding free time in the 24hour clock
is vital. Learning to use available resources by way of processes and tools in the PM profession and
th
listening to the 6 senses are vital.
A recent survey by HBR striving to quantify if women are better leaders than men have put data out to
research the leadership qualities inherent in each gender. The figures speak volumes, allowing for
varying interpretations and perceptions. Yet, one comment by a viewer has stated a resounding fact
that irrespective of colour, caste, creed or gender, a person who leads by example is a true leader.
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13. For corporate maturity, the step to leap from being good to great, organizations must understand the
value of their workforce; hire the better person for the job.
A woman desirous of handling a full time career while juggling a family and being a leader and a role
model in every theoretically taught meaning of the word is a woman with a goal in life.
8. References
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http://www.thelinguist.com/en/en/library/item/62869/
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http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm
[4] Covey, Stephen R., “The 7 habits of highly effective people”, Franklin Covey Co., 1989, pp. 104-
146
[5] Covey, Stephen R., “The 7 habits of highly effective families”, Franklin Covey Co., 1997, pp. 169 -
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[6] DavenHiskey, “In 1842, Ada Lovelace wrote the world‟s first computer program”, February 2011
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computer-program/
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[8] Liyanage, Uditha., “Differentiation: The Quintessence of Strategy”, Sri Lankan Journal of
Management, Postgraduate Institute of Management, Colombo, July – December 2008
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http://www.gallup.com/poll/148175/world-women-less-likely-good-jobs.aspx
[10] Melymuka, Kathleen., “If Girls don‟t get IT, IT won‟t get Girls”, Computerworld, January 2001.
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http://www.pmi.org/en/Professional-Development/Career-Central/Battling-Sexism-in-IT-Project-
Management.aspx
[12] Schulte, Brigid., “The Test of Time: A busy working mother tries to figure out where all her time is
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14. [13] Wikipedia, “Women in computing” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_computing
[14] Wolfe, Lahle., “Gender discrimination against women: From cradle to CEO”, About.com website,
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9. Author’s Profile:
Aruni Siriwardene, a senior IT project manager by profession, a
trainer and a planner in spirit. She is a working woman and a
mother of three; she is a Rotarian and an avid social worker. She
successfully manages her family in harmony with her office work,
training programs, and social service commitments.
Her mission in life is to assist individuals to step outside of their
virtualized boundaries, to discover the limitless potential within them
Mail Id: arunif@navantis.com; arunisiriwardene@gmail.com
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