Rule 7: Make Completed Work Visible — Concrete Success Statements for ADHD Workflows

Rule 7 requires stating exact outcomes (e.g., "Login now works with magic links") rather than vague summaries, which reduces cognitive load and creates dopamine-triggering wins for developers with ADHD.

The ayghri/i-have-adhd repository provides a specialized skill architecture designed to support neurodivergent developers. Rule 7, defined in skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md at lines 91-97, mandates that completed work be made visible through concrete, specific statements rather than abstract recaps.

Why Visibility Matters in ADHD Workflows

Developers with ADHD face unique cognitive challenges that make abstract progress tracking ineffective. Rule 7: Make completed work visible addresses these constraints by anchoring achievements in concrete, verifiable statements.

Reducing Cognitive Load

Working memory limitations prevent readers from retaining vague "something changed" summaries. When you state the exact outcome—for example, "Login now works with magic links"—the result is immediately readable without requiring extra recall effort.

Triggering Dopamine and Motivation

Perceivable progress triggers dopamine gains that sustain momentum. Explicitly announcing the finished piece provides a concrete "win" that reinforces continued effort, combating the motivation depletion common in ADHD workflows.

Creating Actionable Next Steps

Rule 7 couples visible success with follow-up commands. Instead of ending at the achievement, the format includes the next action: "Try: npm run dev". This transforms the win into a launchpad for subsequent tasks.

Enabling Communication and Error Isolation

Ambiguous summaries complicate verification for collaborators and CI pipelines. Visible successes serve as self-contained verification points and create known-good baselines. When something breaks later, knowing exactly what previously succeeded narrows the regression surface.

Rule 7: Make Completed Work Visible — Implementation Examples

The difference between vague and visible completion statements is stark:

Before applying Rule 7:

I've updated the auth flow and changed several routes. The login should work now.

After applying Rule 7:

Login now works with magic links. Try: `npm run dev`, then open `/login` in the browser.

Programmatic Enforcement Pattern

You can enforce this visibility pattern programmatically across your codebase. This Node.js helper illustrates the structure:

// utils/visibility.js
/** Returns a user-facing message that makes a completed change visible. */
export function visibleSuccess(feature, command) {
  return `${feature} now works. Try: \`${command}\`.`;
}

// Usage
console.log(visibleSuccess('Login with magic links', 'npm run dev'));

Technical Implementation Across the Repository

The "make completed work visible" principle is embedded in both documentation and tooling:

• skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md — Contains the canonical definition of Rule 7 at lines 91-97, establishing the requirement for concrete success statements.
• extensions/i-have-adhd.ts — The TypeScript extension processes output according to the skill's visibility requirements.
• scripts/run_evals.py — Evaluation scripts rely on clear success messages to validate behavior and determine pass states.
• tests/test_always_on_hooks.py — Tests inspect always-on hook behavior where visible success messages serve as verification checkpoints.

Summary

• Rule 7: Make completed work visible requires specific outcome statements rather than vague summaries.
• Concrete visibility reduces cognitive load by eliminating working memory demands.
• Explicit success statements trigger dopamine responses that maintain motivation.
• The pattern couples achievements with immediate next steps, ensuring workflow continuity.
• Files including skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md, extensions/i-have-adhd.ts, and scripts/run_evals.py embed this principle across the codebase.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Rule 7 in the i-have-adhd skill?

Rule 7 is a documentation and communication requirement defined in skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md that mandates stating completed work in concrete, specific terms rather than abstract summaries. It requires answering exactly what now works and how to verify it.

How does making work visible specifically help developers with ADHD?

Developers with ADHD typically experience limited working memory and dopamine regulation challenges. Visible success statements reduce cognitive load by making outcomes immediately readable without recall, while concrete "wins" trigger dopamine responses that reinforce continued effort and combat task paralysis.

Can Rule 7 be applied outside of ADHD-specific workflows?

Yes. While designed for ADHD support, the principle benefits any collaborative development environment. Clear success statements improve communication clarity for reviewers, create known-good baselines for debugging, and provide actionable next steps for all team members regardless of neurotype.

Which repository files enforce the visibility requirement?

According to the ayghri/i-have-adhd source code, Rule 7 is enforced through skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md (the rule definition), extensions/i-have-adhd.ts (output formatting), scripts/run_evals.py (validation logic), and tests/test_always_on_hooks.py (behavioral verification of success messages).

{
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    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
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}