I’m autistic. This problem shows up for me all over the place, to the point that I typically don’t recommend reading anymore except when strictly necessary. However, it is showing up now because I’m working with people on a project (and generally everyone I have worked with at school so far) who will not read, particularly documentation for tools and programs, data sheets, and application notes. How do I get people “up to speed” if they refuse to read the things I send them?
Some concepts are simply too complex or too lengthy for me to explain correctly in a real conversation. It’s really the fact that nobody seems to want to read in any field of endeavor suggests that it’s something wrong with me and how I perceive things.
I notice that people refuse to read emails. They would rather have a 30 minute conversation where I give them all of the information/questions that would have been an email and I hate it.
One way I deal with it is to PARE BACK the content I need to give them and use bullet points. You have to get it to the absolute bare bare bare minimum. Never write more than two short, broken up, and spaced out paragraphs. Bullet points should never be more than one brief sentence.
I’ve had increased success in getting people to accept and respond to emails that way.
Complicated instructions need to be documented somewhere everyone has access and tagged appropriately. OneNote would be an easy option. Then whenever a question comes up that you already answered you can send them a link so they have the info when they need it.
Emails need to be kept very short, otherwise everyone will “read them later” (i.e. never)Can I get a TLDR?
tl;dr; y u no read
Some concepts are simply too complex or too lengthy for me to explain correctly in a real conversation.
You might have to deal with people who learn differently than you do, which means you may need to have that conversation.
Bring your documentation and go through it with them so the two of you can discuss.
