Week 10 of 52 — Women in Tech Series

Welcome to our Women in Tech series. Over the next 52 weeks, we’ll spotlight inspiring women shaping the technology industry — sharing their stories, achievements, and insights.

From founders and engineers to designers, researchers, and community leaders, this series celebrates the diverse voices driving innovation and building the future of tech.

I’ve always been drawn to the design of everyday things. As a child, I remember walking round supermarkets in the 80s fascinated by the objects people rarely thought about – like a yoghurt pot on a shelf. I loved the idea that someone, somewhere, had carefully designed it and that it would quietly become part of millions of people’s daily routines. That idea of creating something widely used, yet almost invisible, really stuck with me.

I followed that fascination into a career in print design, building experience across advertising, point of sale, packaging and brand licensing. Agency work was hands-on and fast-paced, where I learned not just how things look, but how they influence behaviour and guide decisions in seconds.

In the early 2000s things began to shift. The internet was evolving and Web 2.0 changed how people interacted with brands. Static design was no longer enough – it became dynamic, user-centred and experience-led, and brands moved from talking at people to engaging with them. That shift is what drew me into tech.

I began moving from print into digital work, getting involved in early Flash websites and interactive learning tools. I then saw the rise of mobile apps and responsive design, and then later HTML5, and each innovation forced a rethink of how users interacted with content and opened up new ways to deliver richer, more accessible experiences.

When I first moved into digital, projects were very structured. Design, development and management all worked in silos, each doing their bit at different stages. I was working on websites, apps and games in the children’s education, charity and entertainment spaces and it gave me a really solid grounding in how digital products came together from start to finish.

Over time, the industry started changing and so did the way we worked. Agile, sprints, and service design became more and more popular and suddenly teams were much closer by design, prototypes were faster, assumptions were being tested, and the user was firmly at the centre of everything. I loved that shift, moving from just ticking off deliverables to focusing on outcomes, working in shorter cycles, and learning from feedback. And the culture changed too – it moved away from rigid command-and-control ways of working towards servant leadership, collaboration, empowering teams and letting insight, not hierarchy, guide decisions.

By the early 2020s, I’d moved into healthcare alongside charities and education, tackling more complex problems with SaaS products and globally distributed, cross-functional teams.

Over the decades, my roles have evolved from Project Manager to Delivery Manager, Scrum Master and now Product Owner. Through it all, one thing has stayed the same: my focus on enabling teams to do their best work while keeping a clear vision for the products we build.

Early in my career, there weren’t many women in digital. In the early 2000s, women made up a relatively small proportion of the workforce, far fewer than today, where representation has improved, but still has a long way to go. Many of the studios I worked in were male-dominated and I remember early in my career struggling to find my voice, facing imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and the fear of making mistakes. The culture was different too – work was rigid, with long hours and little flexibility. Concepts like work-life balance and flexible ways of working were only just beginning to emerge, and carving out space to learn and grow was a challenge in itself.

The introduction of cloud-based collaboration tools and remote working changed that, making it easier to balance work with a young family, collaborate across distributed teams, and test ideas more quickly.

Over time, I became more intentional about how I navigated all this. I built a supportive network of colleagues, friends and mentors, and started speaking up in smaller, safer spaces first, gradually building confidence. Embracing Agile and more collaborative ways of working also played a big part, as it helped shift the focus from individual performance to shared outcomes, grounded in learning through evidence, iteration and continuous improvement. That shift also helped me reframe mistakes as part of the process rather than something to avoid.

Over time, I’ve come to see that asking questions, sharing knowledge and leaning on others isn’t weakness – it’s often where the best ideas and real progress comes from.

In order to stay relevant and continue creating meaningful work, especially as questions grew around the sustainability and longevity of print, I realised I needed to adapt quickly. That’s what led me into digital project management. It was a natural progression in many ways, still grounded in understanding users and delivering value, yet it required a shift in mindset. Instead of designing often short-lived, physical products, I was now helping to shape end-to-end digital experiences that would evolve over time.

I remember going for an interview at a studio in Bath, feeling both excited and totally out of my depth. In a small but oddly reassuring moment, I noticed the person interviewing me was wearing the exact same burgundy Converse as me. It instantly broke the ice and made the whole experience more human, and less intimidating. The opportunities and experiences that followed in that role went on to shape me into who I am today.

Looking back, pivoting from print design into digital project management was one of the most defining decisions of my career. It showed me that staying curious and being willing to embrace uncertainty and adapt can mean just as much as having a clear vision in the first place.

I’d say it’s totally normal if you don’t feel 100% confident at the start – most people are figuring it out as they go. The secret is to get very comfortable with uncertainty. Tech and innovation are always changing at a fast pace, so no one ever has all the answers. Being curious, open to learning, and willing to give things a go matters way more than feeling like an expert from day one.

It’s also worth finding your people early on. Mentors, colleagues, friends, anyone that can support you. Try not to stick to your immediate circle – the wider your network, the more perspectives and opportunities you will get.

Don’t underestimate the value of the skills you already bring. Tech isn’t just about coding – it needs people who understand users, can solve complex problems, communicate well, collaborate, contribute and think creatively, and it can be these skills that help make the biggest difference.

And finally, trust your perspective and your voice. You don’t need to fit in a certain way to belong in tech. Diversity, different experiences and ways of thinking are exactly what spark the best ideas.

I’ve learned a huge amount through Agile in the City, Bath Unlimited, Agile Meetups and Communities of Practice. They’ve all pushed my thinking and exposed me to new perspectives. One experience that really stuck with me was Confidently Cyber – Empowering Women in Cyber to Speak Up. Even though I’m not directly in a cyber role, I was warmly welcomed. It really helped me challenge some of my own imposter syndrome and build confidence in speaking up, as well as opening my eyes to the challenges others in the tech industry faced.

More recently, being a mentor with FemMentored has been a real highlight. It’s been a chance to give something back, while also learning a lot myself through those conversations.

It’s this mix of insights, enthusiasm and wonderful people that makes the South West such a great place to work in tech.

Connect with Jo!

Follow Jo’s journey and connect with her on LinkedIn here