Anita Karlsson
Anita Karlsson is a seasoned professional in the tech industry, with over two decades of experience spanning semiconductor environments, telecom software development, and service management. Now focusing on process and service design, Anita is recognised for her productivity, innovation, and advocacy for women in technology. Describing herself as an achiever, relator, and learner, she embodies the spirit of continuous growth and the pursuit of knowledge. Passionate about solving problems with technology, Anita champions the importance of connectivity and the transformative power of the internet, all while maintaining a supportive and inclusive environment for her peers.
Get to know Anita
Your career at a glance
I began my career by studying technical informatics and image and signal processing, which led me to a role in the semiconductor industry. From there, I transitioned into software development for telecommunications companies. Over the last 20 years, my focus has expanded to include service management, where I have been involved in supporting key accounts and managing escalations. Currently, I am specializing in process and service design using ServiceNow, with a particular emphasis on supporting the Swiss public sector. This role allows me to apply my extensive experience to improve processes and services in a meaningful way.
Describe yourself in 3 words
On a scale of 1 to 5, where are you today in life?
On a scale of 1 to 5, where are you today in your career?
On a scale of 1 to 5, how happy are you today with your life?
Your favourite book?
The best book I’ve read is “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. It resonates deeply with me because it encourages readers to consider what they truly seek in life. The story’s message about following one’s dreams and listening to one’s heart has had a profound impact, inspiring me to pursue my own path with greater conviction and mindfulness.
Your favourite quote?
My favourite quote is A saying: “Endast döda fiskar flyter med strömmen,” which translates to “Only dead fish go with the flow.” This quote resonates with me as it emphasises the importance of being proactive and making deliberate choices rather than passively following the majority. It serves as a reminder to stay true to one’s convictions and to actively shape one’s own path.
What childhood passion have you lost in adulthood?
One childhood passion I’ve lost to adulthood is flying.
Which passion or pastime will you never let go of?
My imagination
Your dream of a completely different second career?
Pottery 🙂
Cut loose from all strings, what would you like to do with your life?
Travelling
Anita’s career
Your work motivations?
The satisfaction of being busy, productive and getting things done. In the end you/and your team achieved/produced something of value.
Your family’s contribution to your career?
Everybody is very independent and we are supporting each other. Within my family there are no classical jobs for women or men, kids/parents... Everybody is doing everything, or what he/she is best in.
The biggest obstacles to career growth in our industry?
Women are not getting recognised the same way as men.
Your biggest obstacles facing the technology industry?
None, I love technology and I like to explore new things.
What have you gotten noticed for throughout your career?
Being a reliable, nice colleague and getting things done.
The major accelerators for success in our field?
Getting promoted and supported.
What question do you get asked most often in your line of work?
I often get asked for advice.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Try to make devops work and develop team and technology.
Your role models and mentors?
There are some (male) colleagues (just because there are not so many women in IT) which I really enjoyed working with, who were open to support and share their ideas, where I had the impression that I could learn a lot from them.
Your golden piece of advice to young women starting out in technology
Don't be afraid, IT guys are nice and happy if they can share their enthusiasm for technology however, you need to be prepared to work harder and do more to be recognised, it's not fair but that's unfortunately still the case, so look for a boss who is willing to listen to you if you speak up.
Can you detail an error you made while managing a customer?
I tried to support a very unhappy customer who in the end blamed me for everything. I would not step into this situation again assuming every situation can be 'resolved'. Sometimes there are unfair situations and today I can recognise them better.
How do you keep in mind the customer experience in your daily work?
Having a real end to end point of view and applying the customers point of view to every aspect, especially when doing rollouts or designing new features.
What are you learning now that will be useful in the future?
As a women in IT you are recognised immediately, and unfortunately there are still so many prejudices. Only by building up relationships people get to know you, so make use of the relationships, woman are better in networking, use it!
"Only by building up relationships people get to know you, so make use of the relationships. Women are better in networking, so use it.”
Let’s get technical
Explain the technology that drives your current business.
I'm working with ServiceNow, a very powerful tool exploring Azure making use of Devops methods and ITILv4 applying Agile methodologies for many many years.
What is technology for you?
Making use of science to solve or explore things.
What are your views on future technology trends?
A better mix of IRL and technology usability examples are Alexa voice control and google glasses.
In your opinion, what is the greatest technological invention and why?
The internet: to connect people and find stuff.
Rate these technologies from highest to least impact on business.
- 6G
- Human-like robots
- Chat GPT
- Blockchain
- Smart concepts (cities, buildings, …)
- Edge cloud
- 5G
- IoT
- AI
- 3D printing
Can technology do good for society, or would it be better off without it? Explain.
Good: without it we would not have electricity, washing machines, internet, electric cars, I could not control the heating in my holiday home remotely ...Technology has just brought so many improvements.
How do you keep your technology skills up to date?
By constant learning and working with a team which is very skilled. We learn a lot from another.
What are your favourite online tools?
I use cloud services like ServiceNow or azure with cloud services. The way of working has changed a lot, we're able now to just outsourced so many problems.
What are your favourite websites?
Makeuseof.com, youtube channels (eg computerphile), and discord channels to stay connected, to learn and get inspired.
Your favourite and least favourite technology products?
Most: Spotify - listen to music and share playlists
Least: apple products - too expensive.
The woman behind the technology
What makes each human unique?
How they react to situations.
What is the relationship between the mind and the body?
They are linked and combined since the beginning of the creation of your body.
"My favourite quote serves as a reminder to stay true to one's convictions and to actively shape one's own path.”
This or that?
Read the instruction manual
Just figure it out
Early adopter
Proven enthusiast
Laptop
Desktop
Apple
Windows
Fail at something
Never attempt it
Listen to the mind
Listen to the body
IOS
Android
E-book
Physical book
Flying cars
Personal robots
Bing
Phone call
Brainstorming session
Solo research
Packed lunch
Cafeteria
Work late
Start early
High Heels
Flats
