Gender Diversity in Software Development Teams: A Systematic Literature Review

In recent years, social aspects, including gender diversity, have gained increasing prominence in various fields, including software engineering. Gender diversity has emerged as a significant area of interest within the industry; however, its impact on development teamwork environments remains subject to mixed perceptions among team members. We conducted an examination of gender diversity in development teams, focusing on member collaboration and team performance. Through a systematic literature review encompassing 30 studies from the last five years, we explored the advantages and challenges faced by development teams when incorporating gender diversity into their work environment. The findings of our review suggest that gender diversity promotes greater cohesion within teams and contributes to a more conducive work environment. Moreover, it enhances critical aspects such as innovation, creativity, and product quality, ultimately boosting team performance. However, gender-diverse profiles encounter unique barriers that hinder their retention within the industry. These barriers include a lack of opportunities to assume key roles, gender discrimination, biases, and insufficient recognition of their contributions. Our study highlights the multifaceted nature of gender diversity in development teams, underscoring both its positive impacts and the challenges that need to be addressed to fully leverage its potential in the software engineering domain.