# How the i-have-adhd Skill Makes Progress Visible: A Complete Guide to the Visible Wins Rule

> Discover how the i-have-adhd skill makes progress visible with its unique 'win' line feature. Learn how to track accomplishments and verify them instantly. A complete guide to visible wins.

- Repository: [Ayoub Ghriss/i-have-adhd](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-08-01

---

**The i-have-adhd skill makes progress visible by prepending every response with a concrete "win" line that states what was accomplished and provides an immediate verification command.**

The i-have-adhd skill is an open-source framework designed specifically for ADHD-focused workflows. According to the ayghri/i-have-adhd repository, one of its ten core rules—**Rule 7: "Make completed work visible"**—ensures users always see tangible progress rather than losing momentum in dense explanations.

In [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md), this rule is explicitly defined with implementation guidance and "good" examples that demonstrate the visible wins format in practice.

## How Rule 7 Structures Every Response

The skill enforces a strict response format rooted in dopamine-driven motivation. Every answer must begin with a visible win before any supporting context appears.

### The Three-Part Win Line

Each visible progress statement contains:

1. **Concrete outcome** — A plain-English description of what now works (e.g., "Login now works with magic links")
2. **Immediate verification** — A runnable command the user can try right away (e.g., "Try: `npm run dev`, open `/login`")
3. **Top placement** — The win line appears first, with explanation following after

This structure appears in the skill definition at lines 91-97 of [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md), where the "good" example shows exactly how to format these statements:

```markdown
<!-- Example output from the i-have-adhd skill -->
Login now works with magic links. Try: `npm run dev`, open `/login`.
1. Added `magicLink` route in `src/routes/auth.ts`.
2. Updated `User` model to store `magicToken`.
3. Wrote tests in `tests/auth.test.ts`.

```

## Implementation in the Skill Definition

The visible progress behavior is not merely a style suggestion—it is encoded directly into the skill's operating rules. The [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/SKILL.md) file defines how the skill must behave when activated:

```typescript
// Minimal implementation of the "visible progress" rule
function emitProgress(message: string, command?: string) {
  const progress = command ? `${message} Try: \`${command}\`.` : `${message}.`;
  console.log(progress); // Sent as the first line of the response
}

```

When a user activates the skill via `/i-have-adhd`, the system stays active and prepends each answer with this visible win line:

```bash

# Command-line usage (via Claude or Codex)

/i-have-adhd

# → The skill stays active and will prepend each answer with a visible win line.

```

## Why Visibility Matters for ADHD Workflows

The [`README.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/README.md) at line 96 reinforces Rule 7's importance, explaining that abstract progress creates mental friction that stalls work. By surfacing completed work immediately, the skill triggers a **dopamine-boosting cue** that the task is advancing.

This design directly addresses a common ADHD challenge: the tendency to lose track of accomplishments mid-project. The visible win transforms abstract effort into an observable, verifiable result.

## Key Files That Enable Visible Progress

| File | Purpose | Location |
|------|---------|----------|
| [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md) | Defines Rule 7 and provides implementation examples | [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md) |
| [`README.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/README.md) | Summarizes all ten rules including visible progress | [`README.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/README.md) |
| [`GEMINI.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/GEMINI.md) | Mirrors the rule set for Gemini-based agents | [`GEMINI.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/GEMINI.md) |

## Summary

- **Rule 7 ("Make completed work visible")** is hardcoded into the i-have-adhd skill definition
- Every response begins with a concrete outcome statement plus a verification command
- The format appears in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/SKILL.md) lines 91-97 with working examples
- Top placement ensures the win is seen before any explanation
- The [`README.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/README.md) and [`GEMINI.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/GEMINI.md) files propagate this rule across AI platforms

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the i-have-adhd skill?

The i-have-adhd skill is an open-source framework that adds ADHD-optimized behavior to AI assistants through ten structured rules. It is maintained in the ayghri/i-have-adhd repository and can be activated via `/i-have-adhd` in compatible clients.

### Why does the skill place the win line at the top?

Top placement ensures the reader encounters the dopamine-triggering accomplishment before any supporting context. This prevents the mental friction that occurs when users must search through verbose explanations to find what actually got done.

### Can I use this visible progress technique without the full skill?

Yes. The core pattern—**outcome + verification command at the start**—can be applied to any technical writing or project management workflow. The [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/SKILL.md) file provides the exact template for manual implementation.

### How does Rule 7 differ from a standard task summary?

Standard summaries often bury accomplishments in bullet points or closing paragraphs. Rule 7 requires an **immediate, standalone statement** with a runnable verification step, transforming passive reading into active confirmation.