Never Undervalue or Underestimate Tech Adjacent Positions

You're More “Techie” Than You Think

When you think about working in tech, you probably picture software engineers writing code, things that are considered more “technical”. But tech and its surrounding industry aren’t built by developers alone. Product managers, marketers, customer success teams, sales engineers, recruiters, analysts, operations professionals, and so many more all play a vital role in bringing products to life and helping them succeed.

If your work helps build, support, improve, or bring technology to market, you’re already part of the tech ecosystem. Focus on building tech fluency: the confidence to understand technical concepts, collaborate effectively with technical teams, and connect tech to business outcomes. As technology becomes part of every industry, those skills are becoming valuable in every role, and every role valuable to the industry in return.

What Is Tech Fluency and Why Does It Matter?

Think of tech fluency as speaking the language of technology. It’s understanding how digital products are built, how technical teams work together, and how technology supports business goals, even if you’re not the one writing the code.

As Artificial Intelligence,cloud computing, automation, and data become part of nearly every job, tech fluency is becoming an essential career skill. It allows you to ask better questions, communicate more effectively with technical teams, and make more informed decisions.

It's about learning how to understand the bigger picture, contribute confidently to technical conversations, and connect tech to the work you do every day.

You’re Probably More “Tech” Than You Think

If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not technical enough,” you’re selling yourself short.

Tech companies don’t succeed because engineers write great code alone. They succeed because people across the business help turn ideas into products customers actually want and use. Product managers translate customer needs into product roadmaps, marketers use analytics, automation, and AI to reach the right audiences, sales engineers connect technical solutions to real business challenges, while operations teams keep the systems and processes that power it all running smoothly.

Tech moves forward because people with different expertise come together to solve problems, and if you’re one of them, you’re already more “tech” than you think.

Build Tech Fluency by Understanding Systems, Not Memorizing Buzzwords

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by all the technical jargon just know, you don’t have to memorize every acronym or learn a programming language to build tech fluency.

Focus on understanding how technology works as a system. Learn the basics of how a user interacts with an app, how information moves between the front end and back end, what APIs do, where data is stored, and how cloud platforms help products scale.

One of the best ways to learn is simply by asking questions. The next time you’re working with an engineer, try asking, “Why did we choose this solution?” or “What problem does it solve?” Conversations like these help you understand the thinking behind technical decisions, not just the terminology.

The more you understand how systems work together, the easier it becomes to collaborate, solve problems, and contribute with confidence.

Develop a Working Knowledge of AI and Cloud Technologies

Most individuals in marketing, product, operations, or customer success are already working alongside AI and cloud-based tools. Understanding the basics of how they work can help you have more meaningful conversations, make better decisions, and spot new opportunities in your role.

Start with the fundamentals. Learn what generative AI is, how AI agents can automate multi-step tasks, and how teams are using AI to improve productivity and decision-making. Then, build a basic understanding of cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.

Push yourself to understand what’s possible so you can ask better questions, collaborate more effectively, and confidently bring new ideas to the table.

Gain Confidence Through Data

You don’t have to be a data scientist to use data effectively. In fact, building data literacy is one of the fastest ways to strengthen your tech fluency and make a bigger impact in your role.

Start by learning the basics. A few simple SQL queries can help you answer your own business questions, while tools like Tableau or Power BI make it easier to visualize trends and track performance. Just as importantly, take time to understand the metrics that matter most to your team and how they’re used to guide decisions.

The more comfortable you become working with data, the more confident you’ll feel contributing to conversations, making informed recommendations, and showing the impact of your work. Data is a skill that empowers everyone to make better decisions.

Learn by Observing the People Building Technology

Don’t forget! You don’t have to learn everything on your own! One of the best ways to build tech fluency is by simply paying attention to the people around you.

If you have the opportunity, sit in on a sprint review, join a product demo, observe a QA testing session, or listen to an engineering retrospective. Even if you don’t understand every technical detail, you’ll start to recognize common concepts, workflows, and the way technical teams think through problems.

The more you’re exposed to technical conversations, the more familiar they’ll become. Over time, that familiarity builds confidence, and confidence is a big part of becoming tech fluent.

Invest in Continuous Learning

Tech fluency, like technology itself, is constantly evolving, which means the most successful professionals are the ones who keep learning alongside it. Attend a webinar, join a workshop, earn a certification that’s relevant to your role, or ask a technical colleague to walk you through something you’ve always wanted to understand. Even small, consistent learning habits can add up over time.

You don’t have to do it alone, either. Joining a professional community gives you access to new ideas, valuable connections, and people who can answer questions, share their experiences, and encourage you as you grow. At AnitaB.org, our Membership communityis built to help women in tech and tech-adjacent roles continue learning, building confidence, and supporting one another throughout their careers.

The Future of Tech Needs More Than Engineers

The future of tech won’t be built by engineers alone, it’ll be shaped by people who can connect tech with business strategy, understand customer needs, and turn complex ideas into meaningful solutions.

That’s why tech-adjacent professionals are so valuable. You’re bringing a perspective that’s essential to innovation when you’re leading a product launch, analyzing customer data, improving operations, or helping teams adopt new technologies. The strongest products are built through collaboration.

As technology continues to evolve, organizations will need more leaders who can bridge the gap between technical expertise and business impact. The future belongs to builders of all kinds.

Build Your Tech Fluency with AnitaB.org

No matter where you are in your career, tech fluency is something you can build. Whether you work in product, marketing, operations, sales, customer success, program management, or leadership, developing a stronger understanding of technology will help you collaborate with confidence, contribute more strategically, and grow your impact.

At AnitaB.org, we’re here to help you keep learning. Through Membership, you’ll gain access to professional development opportunities, career resources, and a community of women in tech who are growing their skills together.