Manual of Me is a personal user manual – a document that helps others understand how they can work best with you. The “manual of me” or “communications Readme” is with inspiration in the following sources:
- Making testing jobs safer for neurodiversity: Manual of Me Discover the benefits of creating a guide to telling people about you by Maddy Kilsby-McMurray,
- Manual of Me, https://www.manualof.me/
- Ady Stokes, README
- Neil Studd: (https://github.com/neilstudd/neilstudd/blob/main/CommunicationsReadme.md)
- Simon Prior: (https://leadtestinclude.com/2021/07/05/introducing-the-communications-readme/)
- Rian van der Merwe (https://github.com/rianvdm/manager-README)
Below is mine updated for 2026, previous version was on GitHub 2023-2025.
Hi I’m Jesper,
- I’m a high-level individual contributor within testing, security and quality engineering
- I work as a consultant, mostly to assist customer teams on large programs in my areas of expertise
- I work to make the requirements happen and being verified
- My drive is for completion (not perfection) to the extent of the situation
- I always consider the situation/context and underlying implicit principles
- The problems I prefer to solve are systemic and organizational
- I love connection people to solutions, ideas and trends
- I can be both an extrovert and an introvert, and my strongest side is thinking and reflecting
- Often I see myself as a high-level pattern spotter
- I prefer growing ideas, solutions, and people over maintaining and tinkering.
- I thrive with “how do we solve this” challenges, using creative thinking and imagination.
- See me and interact with me, then I’m onboard
- My default mode of operation is by intuition and reflection
- My field of work is my hobby, besides LEGO, Civilization V mods and maintaining a house and garden
My communication style is usually:
- I get smaller things out of the way, fast and then focus on the longer tasks
- Ask! And I will always find time for you. There are no gates to cross or dues to pay.
- Give me a one-liner on the topic, not just “Hi” or a direct call (unless urgent).
- If you work for me permission is ON pr default, keep me informed
- Inbox 0, supported by a calendar and a to-do list of topics and reminders.
- My calendar is always up to date, and I do need lunch.
- If I have my headphones on, I might just be listening to music
- “Dear” is a reserved word for a few people only; my emails start with “Hi “
Help me with
- I have a blind spot in creating minutes for my many meetings, especially if I’m the meeting facilitator, which I often am. By default, I assume that people take note of their action items. It helps to have a virtual board to track progress.
- If you ask me I talk, so stop me, if it’s mostly about me
- The absence of formality in work items is often on purpose. I try to achieve the least amount of formality needed, and I would rather do it with less. More formality is the easiest thing to add but is usually counterproductive to healthy collaboration and effective working methods.
- Too many people talking at the same time in the same space drains me (audio sensitivity)
- I often pause to think; sometimes, it’s a latency issue. I hate being bulldozed; give me time.
- My email content might be a bit brief and to the point.
🌻: I wear a “hidden disability” sunflower key hanger on my jacket, and sometimes my autism pops up. Usually, it’s not that visible – but it has been there all along.