Investigating the Experience of Autistic Individuals in Software Engineering
Traditional research on autistic software engineers centers on deficits and accommodations, neglecting their cognitive strengths and work preferences in engineering practice. Method: Employing sociotechnical grounded theory, this study integrates semi-structured interviews and surveys with thematic analysis guided by a neurodiversity-informed cognitive functioning framework. Contribution/Results: Findings reveal distinct cognitive advantages among autistic engineers—including superior logical reasoning, pattern recognition, sustained attention to detail, and effective human–AI collaboration (especially with AI-assisted tools). They consistently prefer remote work and asynchronous, text-based communication, and demonstrate high intrinsic motivation for technical learning. Critically, this is the first study to systematically map their capabilities in core engineering activities such as code review. The results provide empirical foundations and evidence-based design principles for developing strength-based, occupational inclusion pathways in software engineering.