This
article was written by a man whose employment specialization is information
technology. The
original link on which this article appeared, is no longer accessible.
Reprinted as a Public Service, and we urge the original author to come
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Hints For Employers
All autistics are
different. I enjoy some activities that drive other autistics crazy! At the
same time, I share many of these traits with many other autistics. An
autistic individual gifted in computer programming can be a tremendous asset
to a company. There are many things a company can do, however, which will
either help or hinder that individual's productivity. Above all, I highly
recommend that employers consult with the employee to determine the best
working environment. I would also add that not all autistics are gifted in
computer programming, nor should an employer expect every autistic to be
their most productive employee. Just as there is variation among
non-autistic employees (as much as a 10 to 1 difference, according to some
studies), there are tremendous differences among autistic individuals.
Noise Controlled
Environment
Autistics often have more
or less sensitive audio pathways in their nervous systems. As a result, some
find even the slightest noises extremely troublesome. It is important to
remember that many of these noises would not affect a "neurologically
typical" (NT) individual, but will have a tremendous effect on some
autistics. I find high pitched whistles extremely annoying, as well as the
fan noise found in a computer room. I work best when I have a quiet
workstation rather than a noisy one. I don't work well in a room with loud
servers.
In addition to this,
hearing other people's music or conversations can be very distracting, since
I don't have a normal sensory filter. It isn't possible for me to filter out
these irrelevant noises. Sometimes I'll be able to cover them with music,
but other times I find I program best without any noise at all. It is
important that an autistic is able to control his audio environment. An
office with a door is extremely helpful, while an open-plan office is very
difficult.
Refresh Rates &
Lighting
Autistics process all
senses in a unique way. Flickering lights and monitors bother many
autistics. Fluorescent lights should be removed (or turned off) if they
bother an individual, even if other people can't see the flicker. Many
autistics can. In addition, monitors should have high refresh rates so that
the flickering is not as noticeable.
Temperature
Sensitivities
I am very sensitive to
temperature variations, and find that one day I might like a room as much as
20 degrees warmer than another day. I work best if I have control of my
thermostat, although a small space heater under my desk helps me to control
my own temperature. Note, also, that there are many times when I am unable
to determine for myself if I am hot or cold. If you see me doing something
that could cause me to risk hypothermia, please let me know (I visited the
hospital once because I thought that I was hot, but actually had
hypothermia).
Clear Goals
We aren't always "goal
oriented individuals", but we do need a way of knowing when work on a
specific project is completed. All tasks should have a clearly defined point
at which they are finished. I work best when I know what is expected of me
on a project.
Flexible Time
There are times when my
senses are overloaded, and I simply can't do any work. Companies that allow
me to take a break and "make up" the time later are able to utilize me when
I am performing at my best.
Interesting Work
I find that I can expend
considerable energy and concentration without wearing myself out, provided
that I'm interested in what I am doing. This is an autistic trait - we often
get fixated on certain things, to the extent that non-autistics will refer
to these fixations as "obsessions." An employer who can take advantage of an
autistic's interests will find that that these individuals are able to
function as "super-programmers." Not only will tapping into these fixations
improve productivity, but they will also improve morale considerably, as I
can think of few things I enjoy more than pursuing one of my "obsessions."
We can't choose our
interests, however. For an unknown reason, our brains pick some things to be
interested in and are disinterested in others. This doesn't mean that an
employer is subject to the whims of an autistic's personality and interests.
Using some knowledge of the employee, a company can assign work that is more
likely to fit into an autistic's interests. For example, almost all of my
interests involve challenging and complex systems. Chances are, if you
assign me a task which deals with multiple databases, complex interactions
between components, and multiple programming languages, I'll be much more
likely to find the work interesting. If you combine that with a
"mission-impossible" type of task (which also benefits from the unique ways
autistics perceive the world), I'll find that I usually have a hard time
resisting giving the task everything that I can!
Creativity
Many professionals claim
that autistics have limited creativity. I don't agree. I believe that we
have a different form of creativity than the general population, and that it
is this difference which allows us to try new methods to solve problems.
Many of us are not limited to using only the text-book methods (although I
do know them). If we see a unique problem, we'll figure out a unique
solution.
Spatial Thinking
Some autistics, such as
myself, are "spatial thinkers" rather than sequential thinkers (but, I don't
think in pictures alone). Rather than starting with a blank editor and
simply typing code until we reach the end of program execution, we'll design
the interactions - either in our heads or on paper - and then program each
sub-process. I find that I'm often surprised when I finish a program. Except
for the initial design, I give little thought to the fact that the
components I am writing all work together for some higher purpose. Yet, I
find that (with the exception of minor bugs), most of these programs work
with very little tweaking. Modular code comes very naturally to an spatial
thinker. I find that I naturally visualize database schemas, such as 3NF or
star-schemas. I don't have to think about normalizing my data, separating
dimensions from facts, or what indexes are required - because of the spatial
thinking, this is instinctive to me (this is also why I find it extremely
frustrating to try to explain database design techniques - I don't always
remember that most people can't just see the schema).
To facilitate this
thinking, which is extremely helpful with complex systems, it is important
that we have plenty of paper, colored pencils, pens, etc. Dry erase boards
are often very helpful, as they give us a place to write out our overall
plan, before we "lose the state" in our minds. Autistics often have poor
short-term memories, so it is important for them to be able to write down
their ideas.
Indenting Code
Improperly indented code
will confuse me. While I understand the syntax and structures of the
language, I'll find that my spatial/visual thinking will distort the meaning
of the code. If I have to work on someone else's code who used a poor
indenting style, I'll find that I am very ineffective until I am able to
build a model of the code in my head.
Debugging
During debugging, because
of our spatial approach to thinking, we'll often benefit from a diagram of
interactions and components. A picture really is worth a thousand words to
me! While I have many years of experience with complex networks, I find that
I am unable to diagnose a network issue until I have a good diagram, either
on paper or in my head. Once I understand all the interactions in a network
or computer program, I am able to quickly visualize a path that the problem
takes. This allows me to eliminate the working components and determine what
tests need to be done to find the broken component. Finding a cause which
involves multiple components is just as easy for me as finding a cause which
involves a single component - my mind sees the connections and the flow of
data between components. I find that debugging complex problems is one of
the most rewarding tasks I do at work and I enjoy immensely the opportunity
to debug other's problems.
Problem Solving
Contrary to popular
opinion, autistics can be excellent technical problem solvers. We see the
world very much as a computer does - in black or white terms - which enables
us to get rid of solutions which can't be implemented. At the same time, we
aren't bound to the traditional programming techniques that most other
programmers follow. My dream job would consist of spending all day debugging
and solving problems in an extremely complicated system.
Touch
I process the sense of
touch very differently than most people. Someone coming up to me
unexpectedly and touching me on the shoulder will completely distract and
even overload my senses. When my senses are overloaded, I have no choice
except to retreat to a quiet place - there is no way that I would be able to
do work at that time. Handshakes, a problem for some autistics, don't bother
me, since I can "brace" myself.
Eye Contact
Eye contact does not come
naturally to me. The face gives off a tremendous amount of information. The
eyes are the worst part of the face for me, because they give off even more
information than most of the face. When I look someone in the eyes, I can't
concentrate as much on what they are saying. When I look at the floor, a
wall, or close my eyes, I'm not trying to communicate that I'm not
listening. Rather, I'm listening very deeply! If I want to hear someone's
words, I have to find a way to not be distracted by other sights and sounds!
Criticism
I tend to speak my mind,
without always following the unwritten rules that say I should criticize
something using words which don't really seem to say what I am thinking. I
realize that many people assume that criticism of their work is the same as
criticism of them, but I don't. I don't get upset if someone tells me that I
did a bad job writing a piece of software. I may have. I will want to know
why they thought that, though, so that I can learn and improve (this is
often misinterpreted as becoming defensive when it actually has more to do
with vulnerability than defensiveness!). Because this is the way I want to
be treated, it is often the way I treat others. When I say that I don't like
some of your work, I'm not saying that I don't like you. I'm also not saying
that I think you are stupid, lazy, or a poor craftsman. What I am saying is
that I see an obvious flaw in something you did. I'm trying to understand
how to be less "rude" or "abrasive" (words others have used to describe my
criticism of their work), but it is something that I still don't understand
- especially since I actually want to be criticized in this way!
Telephones
Telephones can be
particularly challenging for an autistic. We have problems figuring out the
"rhythm" of any conversation, often talking over other people. For some of
us, the telephone only makes this worse. For me, using the telephone to talk
to someone I haven't yet met is easier than meeting them in person, but
other autistics can't use the telephone in any circumstance. Any autistic
would appreciate as much accomidation as possible in this area. We realize
that sometimes we will have to talk on the telephone, but someone without
autism can't understand what it feels like to do so. It isn't simple
shyness, but a neurological impairment that prevents us from easily engaging
in telephone conversations.
In addition to this
problem, many of us have auditory processing difficulties. I find any
conversation to be difficult in this regard. I often find that people's
voices seem to fade in and out. I have an especially hard time understanding
people with regional or foreign accents, since my neuro pathways haven't yet
learned to understand all those sounds - so they sound like gibberish to me,
especially over the telephone. A phone with a volume control is absolutely
essential.
Conference calls can be
extremely troubling. Some voices are very loud and others very quiet, which
interrupts my brain and complicates the decoding I must do to understand
someone. In addition, the number of different voices makes it very difficult
for me to follow the conversation. I feel luck if I actually "hear" 1/2 of
the conversation during any conference call.
Parties, Social Events
I do not enjoy social
events or parties. I find that the tremendous amount of activity and sensory
stimulus overloads my brain, causing me a great deal of distress. As a
result, I usually try to find a socially acceptable excuse to leave early
(or not come at all). Employers can help people like me by giving us plenty
of chance to say "no" to corporate social events. Please note, however, that
we also dislike being excluded from things just because someone else thinks
we might not enjoy it - always give us the option of participating, since
then we won't feel like we are being excluded.
Some
are the melody, some are the rhythm, some are the harmony