NEURODIVERSITY
I think differently and I build differently because of it.
I'm dyslexic, neurospicy, and a developer. This page is about how those three things connect, what they mean for the code I write, and what I want from a team that hires me. It's not a primer on neurodiversity, and it's not a confession. Being neurospicy is who I am, and I've come to believe it's the greatest strength I bring to the work.
The short version
I'm dyslexic and AuDHD — autistic and ADHD. I think in patterns and pictures and analogies. Long blocks of text are hard for me to read; a shape that doesn't fit is easy for me to spot. When I'm stuck, I draw. When I'm building, I write the design out loud first. When I'm reviewing code, I look for the wrong shape before I look for the wrong letter.
I have two sides to my brain, one chaotic, one that craves structure, and most of the time they fight each other for supremacy. Coding is the happy medium I've found. The structured side gets what it needs in databases, scaffolding, and clean code; the chaotic side finally has somewhere to put its focus. This is the profession that gives my neurospicy brain peace.
What this means for the code I write
The autistic side of me loves database design: schemas, migrations, the rule that every drawer has a reason to exist. Most of my project decisions start at the data layer because that's where my brain wants to be. By the time I'm writing the UI, the hard thinking is already done.
The ADHD side of me thrives on TDD and on scaffolding: write the failing test, write the empty function, then fill it in. The structure gives my focus somewhere to land. Without it I'd be the developer with twenty browser tabs and no commits; with it I can stay in flow for hours.
What I want from a team
Not a special accommodation. Just a team where documentation matters and is treated as part of the work, code review notices shape before syntax, accessibility is shipped not retrofitted, and tools and processes are designed for people who think differently rather than assumed.
If that sounds like your team, I'd love to talk. Email me at serina.mcfall@gmail.com.