Cultivating Collaboration

Simulation via Tangrams

Or — a starter guide to Pair Programming

InstructionsGet with your friend - invite

them to pair with you to solve the problem.

Discuss a plan.

Example: I’ll do the red pieces - you do the yellow

pieces

The Rocket

The Rocket Solution

Debrief that…

• So… what happened? Did you solve the puzzle? Who did what?

• How did it feel? Did your pair make a mistake? How did you work that out?

• What would make the practice easier? What was the most difficult part?

New Constraints

Let’s try a new Tangram puzzle…

But this time do it with no talking - just

actions - maybe some pointing and

gesturing.

The Chicken

The ChickenSolution

Debrief that…

• So… what happened? What was the critical piece?

• What did the constraint of no talking - teach you?

• What’s the value of communication in cultivating collaboration (pair programming)?

Let’s play Test First

Ping Pong Pairing

Write a test - then the other partner writes the

implementation.

Let’s try a new Tangram puzzle…

Do the Test First. e.g. develop the background YELLOW (test harness) before doing any of

the red subject.

Then after all the yellow is done - do the RED (subject matter).

The Fox

The Fox Solution??

Unsolved.

I couldn’t figure this one out.

Did you?

The Fox Solution??

Unsolved.

I couldn’t figure this one out.

Did you?

Do you have a name for that part?

Have you started to see patterns, & micro patterns?

Debrief that…

• So… what happened? Did creating a test first make the implementation easy or harder?

• Does this apply to writing code?

• What lessons could you use tomorrow?

Switch Pairing PartnersThe practice of promiscuous pairing…

Recognizing DefensivenessPlaying “poor me”

Withdrawal into deadly silence

All or nothing thinking

Wanting to be right

Blaming or shaming others

Confusion (sudden drop in IQ)

High charge of energy in the body

Catastrophizing everything

Wanting the last word

Obsessive thinking

Flooding with information to prove a point

The Dog

The Dog Solution

Create a Language of Shapes

Nicked Square

SquareTriangle

Trapozoid

Book-ends

Keystone

Parallelogram

Debrief that…

• Why would we wish to be promiscuous in pairing?

• What’s a good Frequency practice for pair switch?

• What lessons could you use tomorrow?

One more… ?You create a constraint…

Take turns - one piece at a time

Take turns - RED

then YELLOW then …

Broadcast Intent

• State your intent aloud - to give your partner a clue to your actions.

• Announce your conclusions.

• An Example right about now might help.

Example of Intent

• INTENT: I’m making the rocket nose cone.

• CONCLUSION: I don’t know how to make the body with the remaining RED pieces.

Example of Intent• INTENT: It looks like the Red

Triangle need to become the rocket exhaust nozzle

• CONCLUSION: That leaves just these two Parallelograms - How do they become part of the rocket?

Example of Intent

• INTENT: Could the Parallelograms be arranged into the nose cone?

• CONCLUSION: That would make a RED rocket - how do we fill in the background?

The Wrench

The Wrench Solution

Debrief that…

• What did you try? Does naming piece increase communication?

• How do you feel about that experiment?

• Any lessons you would like to share?

References:see handouts

• Tangram (wiki)

• ThinkFun.com game Shape by Shape(tm)

• Ref: Pair Chess Game Focus improving techniques

Let’s take inventory of the 14 pieces