For years Matt Kleimans Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) & other learning disabilities deterred his success on traditional software development teams. Working alone, on globally distributed teams, & on amorphous tasks, Matt found himself struggling to meet the expectations of a software engineer. In an endless showdown against distractions, Matt almost gave up on his career.

This is the story of how Pivotal Labs Extreme Programming practices empowered Matt. Pair programming provides Matt with a feedback loop for his thoughts & a partner to hold him accountable eight hours a day. Test-driven development provides him with a disciplined structure for operating & is the perfect counterweight to inevitable distractions. Matts journey has taught him why its so important to work in ways that allow individuals to flourish & for us to have empathy for the learning styles of our peers.
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Presenter Bio:

Matt Kleiman is passionate about transforming the way the world builds software. Matt struggled with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) & other learning disabilities during his first 8 years in the tech industry. His first two years as a developer at Pivotal Labs NY provided him with such relief from his struggles that he was able to grow in ways he never even imagined. Today Matt is not only a software engineer & consultant, but he is also a manager at Pivotal Labs DC office, where he helps others craft their own career journeys.

Matt loves traveling. This year he has flown 87,000 miles in 7 different countries. He & his wife are always looking for cheap flight deals they can turn into great vacations. This year he has put great care into the growth of his mustache, & he fondly refers to his travels as #MustacheOnTheMove. Ask him about the time he flew to Beijing & back in one weekend!