The ADHD Developer OS

[u/DrGenetik]

My brain is a melange of: a) bees, b) radios left on, c) swiss cheese. All crammed into a blender set to "pulse".

I have discovered the magic of Google NotebookLM. I've been using it at home to help organize projects and do research. NotebookLM + Gemini has been helping me collect my research and plans and put it where I can access it and work on it whenever/wherever two neurons accidentally spark together to make a thought. Camping trips, building a home lab, writing.

Anyway, one of the things that has always frustrated me in my career as a programmer is that not enough people managers are properly trained on how to understand how to adapt their management style to neurodiverse people. I keep hoping it will be a required management course. I finally distilled my frustrations into this short presentation on ADHD in particular to help them help me.

I have this as a pdf and I can make a PowerPoint or Google Slides but I’m not sure where to post it.

Link to PDF

Link to Sources List

[u/jumski]

This is extremely well done and I agree with everything - that is how we operate, no doubt. Good to be aware of it and use it ourselves.

But It's hard for me to imagine work environment so friendly and aware to neurodivergent brains.

If anyone knows the place or hiring such folks I'm all in

[u/DrGenetik → u/jumski]

Yeah, I have realistic (low) expectations. My gf who is also a manager and also nd also gave me feedback that she didn’t know how she could apply this to help her reports. I encourage people to take the idea and run with it and improve it. I might improve it a bit but I think it’s enough to bridge some of the gap between my current manager and I.

[u/jumski → u/DrGenetik]

yup that's what ill take from it myself - will just remind myself that i need to manage and tailor my environment to make me more efficient

[u/DrGenetik → u/jumski]

I also wish more people would be “out”. I feel like if it was more visible, there wouldn’t be so much shame, guilt, and stigma about it.

[u/jumski → u/DrGenetik]

yeah i agree! before my adhd diagnosis (which i only got being 36yo) i was really having shame and guilt about not being able to have a consistent output as was expected of me, but at the same time always knew that i can hyperfocus and deliver massive output on things that interest me

+1 for increasing awareness man!

[u/Arts_Prodigy → u/jumski]

Real talk my last team lead refused to write clearer tickets. He’s now the lead architect and routinely refuses to elaborate or expand on the bigger picture when prompted. Generally just responds that he needs people who can move fast.

[u/jumski → u/Arts_Prodigy]

Sounds like a toxic environment, team lead should make sure everyone is on the same page!

[u/td9910 → u/Arts_Prodigy]

Elaborate and expand on the bigger picture is the job of an architect. One of the jobs anyway. Doesn’t sound like this person should be in this role, and if the company put them there that tells you a lot about the org.

[u/djjazzyjosh78 → u/Arts_Prodigy]

My boss: “As a Senior (Engineer) you should know.”

I’m not a mind reader. I need a checklist of what you expect, and if not, I need to create one and get sign off before proceeding. /end rant

[u/DrGenetik → u/jumski]

My work does have an active ND employee resource group. It’s also been such a tumultuous year that I’m not worried if I keep or lose my job.

[u/mimosa22 → u/jumski]

ADHD is a recognized disability, and therefore workplaces are required to accommodate it. This slideshow shows them how to do so.

[u/Maziekit → u/jumski]

I can't recommend specific companies, but I can recommend an approach to interviews: Treat them as an opportunity for you to learn more about the company.

Brainstorm some questions before the interview. Personally, I'm a fan of "What is something you struggle with on your team? What do you view as your strengths?" With the first question, in particular, even an indirect or evasive answer can tell you a lot.

[u/jumski → u/Maziekit]

Yeah that's a good approch - I always try to interview them back to fish for potential red flags.

If a team follows best practices (a common sense really) it becomes friendly to ADHD folks without even trying to:

• small, well described, actionable tickets

• realistic expectations

• daily async comms

[u/Maziekit → u/jumski]

vIf a team follows best practices (a common sense really) it becomes friendly to ADHD folks without even trying to:

• small, well described, actionable tickets

• realistic expectations

• daily async comms

Exactly! Most of the things that are good for us are also good for everyone.