2023 Women Leaders in Technology: Diana Winter

I received my undergraduate degree from Duke University, where I earned a BS, double majoring in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. My first job was with Bell Laboratories. As part of the One Year on-Campus program, I received a scholarship and earned my MS in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Technical Institute. My work at Bell Labs was in Forwarding Looking Work which specialized in taking research work and experimenting with ways to monetize research, creating products and services. I spent some time working with a startup company that built computer telephony solutions. I then took my first consulting job where I first worked independently and then joined a consulting firm working with Cingular Wireless, later AT&T. More recently, I've worked at Accenture and then North Highland as a Director of Technology. While at North Highland, I have had the opportunity to work with a diverse group of experts to deliver solutions that uniquely fit our customer's needs. I have found that the role of a consultant allows me to continue to work deeply in the technical and development space, but also to continue to work closely with customers, often bridging the gap between the two.

What has been the biggest factor in your success so far?

The biggest factor in my success so far has been communication, in particular, utilizing the skill of connecting groups of people that "speak a different language." I have worked to become adept at taking complicated technical ideas and distilling them into understandable concepts relevant to a business or technical user. This requires an understanding of both the technical and business problem domain, assessing the user's level of understanding, needs and gaps in knowledge. When successful, this allows a client to understand the opportunities more fully, and usually leads to far better client engagement and better business-focused solutions.

I enjoy getting to know my customer, understanding where they are, and helping them discover where they want to go. Using clear, straightforward language around technical subjects and solutions enables the customer to clearly understand complex, technical solutions so they can capitalize on the business value.

For example, when working with a client, I found that the technical team was uncomfortable asking questions and would wait until starting design to get clarification. There was a clear lack of connection between the two groups. I modeled the preferred behavior probing and clarifying the client's business issues in a public forum so the team could learn and understand the client's needs. This led to a cleaner technical design from the start and a less frustrated client.

What do you enjoy most about your career in the consulting industry?

I have always enjoyed new challenges, interacting with a broad range of people, and being exposed to new ideas and concepts. Consultants thrive on variety: going into a new city, a new environment, and tackling new business and technical problems. I particularly enjoy bringing together a diverse team with different skill sets to implement a solution that incorporates both technology and the people using it, which leads to a satisfied customer.

As a leader in a Transformation Consultancy, our work brings together technologists as well as experts in the areas such as change management, process analysis, training and adoption. In my current role, I am tasked with bringing together a diverse team of change experts who address different aspects of the solution, addressing both technology and people for a whole solution that is the best fit for my customers. When pulling teams together to craft the best technical solution, often a member of the process transformation team will help craft the solution so that it is not only technically sound but will handle the human part of the process flow in a way that is much more conducive to effective work and quality output.

What is your proudest achievement to date?

My proudest achievement was identifying and mentoring a high-potential woman who, while capable, was inexperienced and developing her into a technology leader.

I led a development group that was tasked with enhancing a legacy software solution to make commission payments while also leading a group that was building the next generation of the product using new technology. Tanvi joined the legacy group as a new developer with little leadership experience. I was able to help her not only hone her technical skills but also take on the role of mentoring new members who joined the group.

She was able to develop her skills as a leader and was ultimately able to lead the legacy group, including managing a diverse group of developers, interfacing with operations, and working directly with the end customer. This allowed me to move my focus to higher-value work while also promoting a new female leader in technology. It is very rewarding to mentor other women in the field and see them progress into leaders themselves.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

When I was pregnant with my first child, I met with my manager to discuss my plans for coming back to work after my child was born. My manager, also a woman, gave me advice that I have quoted to many other team members and mentees.

Although I had decided on the details of my leave, her advice to me was that while making a plan is always a good idea, one should keep an open mind and have the flexibility and agility to change the plan. I think that advice of making a plan but staying adaptable and in touch with a changing environment leads to becoming a consultant that can be adaptable and agile. One needs to always be in touch with the team and the customer and be ready to adapt to change.

For example, I led a project that sends employee payment information to an accounting system where the solution appeared to be clear and achievable. As we worked to define and implement the solution, it became clear that we could update the solution with small changes to create a system that achieved goals far above and beyond what had been agreed to. Seeking to understand not only the current plan but also the client's long-term needs and translating that into small technical enhancements led to a large customer value.

What does this recognition mean to you?

First, it is a wonderful honor just to be nominated for this award. While I am appreciative of being identified individually as a leader, my efforts and success are for the team, my firm and for my client.

As with any award or recognition, it is rewarding to be complimented, to have your work and your output valued. This particular recognition is even more notable because of the size of the pool that candidates are drawn from. Being recognized is an honor. Delivering for my clients is made easier because I am building and executing while working with a high-performing team with a management chain that is supportive of my work. This support is what is most central to my success and allows me to continue to move forward as a leader in technology within consulting. As a woman in what was a predominantly male field when I started on my journey, it has been gratifying to see so many women join the field and have a hand in helping other women move forward and succeed as leaders.