550 | Decide Ai Tools made by and for brains like ours with Dr Shannan Palma

ADHD reWired

In episode 550 of ADHD reWired, Eric Tivers sits down with Dr. Shannan Palma to explore Decide—a suite of AI-powered decision-support tools built by and for neurodivergent brains. Throughout this conversation, you’ll hear about:

• How Decide leverages AI (Gemini and large language models) to help with everyday choices and multi-step tasks.

• The story behind IT Assistive Technologies and the Autistic Self-Reliance Support Network.

• Real-world examples of “decision fatigue” and how Decide’s guided and randomized features ease choice paralysis.

• The balance between AI assistance and human insight—and why a trusting, well-prompted tool can feel like a personal neurodivergent life coach.

• Pricing, privacy, and the community-focused mission: 85 percent of ITI’s profits fund disability-led initiatives.

• Bonus segments on Pride Month, coaching groups, virtual coworking, and how to get involved with ADHD reWired’s summer programs.

Use these show notes to get a quick overview, find useful links, and discover why Decide might become your new go-to when you’re stuck choosing dinner, figuring out a daily routine, or simply need a gentle “nudge” to move forward.

Episode Summary

Dr. Shannan Palma—co-founder of Decide and co-director of the Autistic Self-Reliance Support Network—joins Eric to unpack how tools designed by autistic and ADHD adults can transform decision making for all of us. Shannan shares her own late autism and ADHD diagnoses, the challenges she faced finding resources after getting “the piece of paper,” and how a 48-hour hackathon sparked a project that won first prize and secured nearly $400 k in grant funding.

From door-dash dilemmas to life-altering choices (like whether to adopt a foster dog), Decide offers two core modes:

1. Randomized Choice Generator

   • Users create custom lists (e.g., favorite restaurants, daily routines) and assign energy costs.

   • The app selects an option based on your current energy level—no more breakfast indecision or “what to watch next” paralysis.

2. Guided Decision Assistance

   • A series of friendly, “affirmative” prompts mirror a real-time coach.

   • By reflecting back your own criteria (energy, resources, priorities), Decide delivers a percentage-confidence recommendation and rationale—so you can make a defensible, informed choice without overthinking.

Along the way, Shannan emphasizes the importance of privacy (your data always belongs to you), ethical AI (focusing on “do no harm”), and how Decide’s freemium model avoids the “ADHD tax” by offering 10 free guided decisions per month. Premium access is available for $4.99/month, but you can cancel at any time without losing progress.

Key Takeaways

• Why “Decision Fatigue” Matters:

  • Neurodivergent brains often struggle with countless small choices (e.g., “What’s for dinner?”).

  • Decide’s randomized generator isn’t just for fun—it reduces executive-function load by factoring in your energy level and pre-ranked options.

• Guided Mode = Personalized Neurodivergent Coaching:

  • Instead of writing complex prompts for ChatGPT or Claude, Decide asks you targeted yes/no/unsure questions.

  • Once you answer, it gives a clear recommendation (with a confidence score) plus a brief “why,” so you trust your decision-making process.

• Built by Autistic + ADHD Makers:

  • After Shannan’s late autism diagnosis, she realized few supports existed for lower-visibility autistic adults.

  • A 48-hour hackathon (Give Back Hack Columbus) brought together autistic and ADHD engineers, designers, and researchers—leading to Decide’s prototype and subsequent $400 k grant from Ohio’s Department of Developmental Disabilities.

• Community-First Funding Model:

  • 85 percent of any IT Assistive Technologies’ profits flow back to the Autistic Self-Reliance Support Network (ASR).

  • ASR focuses on autonomy and resources for autistic adults—rather than caregiver research—aiming to expand capacity and economic inclusion across the lifespan.

• Privacy & Data Rights:

  • Decide won’t train AI on your personal data, and you retain full ownership of anything you input.

  • Future plans include an opt-in research repository for autistic/ADHD lifespan data—governed by community safeguards.

• Bonus: Pride Month & ADHD ReWired Community Updates:

  • Neurodivergent Pride Panel: Friday, June 13th at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET (free registration at adhdrewired.com/pride2025).

  • Summer Coaching Groups kick off July 24th—save $200 by joining the registration kickoff on June 18th (more info at coachingrewired.com).

  • Adult Study Hall: Virtual coworking with monthly “Pomodoro Dance Parties” (4th Friday, Pride-themed on June 27th). Try a 1-week free trial at adultstudyhall.com.

  • Next Live Q&A: Tuesday, June 10th at 10:30 AM PT / 1:30 PM ET (become a Patron at patreon.com/adhdrewired for behind-the-scenes coaching calls).

Resources & Links

• Decide AI Decision Assistant • Web: iassist.com/decide • App Store (iOS) & Google Play (Android) • Guided decisions: 10 free/month; Premium: $4.99/month (cancel anytime)

• Dr. Shannan Palma & IT Assistive Technologies • IT Assistive Technologies (for-profit): itassist.com • Autistic Self-Reliance Support Network (non-profit): autisticselfreliance.org • LinkedIn: Shannan Palma (mention you heard the podcast!)

• Neurodivergent Pride & June Events • Neurodivergent Pride Panel (June 13): adhdrewired.com/pride2025 • Adult Study Hall Pomodoro Dance Party (June 27): adultstudyhall.com

• ADHD ReWired Coaching & Community • Summer Coaching Groups (start July 24): coachingrewired.com • Live Q&A (June 10): RSVP details sent to interest list • Patreon: patreon.com/adhdrewired

• Books & References • Annie Duke, Thinking in Bets (on decision quality vs. outcome quality) • “Selling Out the Spectrum” by Ryan E. Conviction (autistic journalist on research ethics)