As long as someone mentioned Asperger's syndrome, I thought I would add my two-cents. Many programmers have Asperger's syndrome a form of mild autism. While it would be ideal if everyone could pass the "elevator test" and be able to explain "to clearly explain what they're working on, and why anyone would care, within 60 seconds" this is NOT a skill that most with Asperger's possess...now or EVER! There are great programmers who can write tremendous code if they are given specific and clear instructions which is what is needed if your programmer has Asperger's. As long as his code meets specs and he has clear written directions, then maybe the elevator test is unnecessary. Anyway, if you or a loved one (or colleague) has Asperger's and you want to learn more about it, the site http://www.AspergersSociety.org is a great place to get some info and sign up for a free newsletter.

As an author who writes books on Asperger's syndrome, the world of programming, and IT in general is often a great place for someone with Asperger's or high functioning autism to hang out. Many programmers need solitude and quite and work alone. These are ideal conditions for someone with Asperger's who often has poor social skills and may have sensitivities to light, noise etc. A bustling, busy office is not a good environment for a very structured person with Asperger's syndrome. You can sign up for a free Asperger's Syndrome newsletter on the site, http://www.AspergersSociety.org which provides a lot of help for those adults with Asperger's seeing help with jobs, work environments, relationships, etc. Hope this helps.