Open-source project management developer Hyve5 Inc., which does business as Leantime, today announced a redesigned interface that incorporates artificial intelligence-based features that better address its core audience of neurodivergent workers.

The 18-month-old company is focused on startups and small and mid-sized businesses, particularly those that employ people with such neurodivergent conditions as dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism. Neurodiverse people are estimated to make up as much as 20% of the population, but 40% are unemployed, a figure that rises to 85% for people with autism.

That’s despite the fact that the youngest cohort of workers considers neurodivergent people to be highly creative, authentic and hard-working, according to a study of Gen Z professionals conducted by a firm to provide support services for neurodiverse students. “The stats show that upwards of 35% of startup founders and entrepreneurs have some form of neurodivergence,” said Gloria Folaron, co-founder and chief executive of Leantime, who was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.

Seeking simplicity

“Over and over again, I’ve seen organizations with four or five different work management tools, and because all of our brains are different, it’s hard to find a common language even though we’re all still doing the exact same thing,” Folaron said. “For someone who has ADHD, sometimes the hardest thing is just getting started, because there are so many tasks that it’s overwhelming.”

The redesigned Leantime platform is focused on simplicity and uses generative artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI to translate complex project documents into bite-sized components.

“Project descriptions tend to be very long, overwhelming and written for either the project manager or for the stakeholder,” Folaron said. “There’s not a lot of meaning in that, so we use AI to rewrite a personalized version highlighting your role in that work. It’s a high-level strategy overview instead of a 50-page document.” The approach resonates with younger workers in particular, she said, who are more inclined to be motivated by mission than money.

The revised platform can automatically dissect tasks into essential subtasks with a personalized workspace (pictured) where users can size and organize widgets according to their preferences. Integration with personal calendars enables them to organize tasks by time, and customizable timers remind them when to transition between tasks. Leantime incorporates principles such as the Pomodoro Technique for time management and Pareto analysis to help set priorities.

The personal schedule allows users to create checklists, take notes and organize project details. A new project manager enables people who struggle with reading to organize their projects visually. The company is also launching a plug-in marketplace for independent developers.

Leantime estimates that there are more than 25,500 installations of its open-source software in use and that users have translated it into 19 languages. The startup booked $36,000 in revenue last year with a model based on priority support and fee-based plug-ins, Folaroon said. It intends to seek seed funding later this year.

Image: Leantime