Mob Programming for Continuous Learning

Mob Programming for Continuous Learning

Mike Clement@mdclement

[email protected]://blog.softwareontheside.com

My journey

“Review every line of code. A code review typically involves the programmer and at least two reviewers. That means that at least three people read every line of code. Another name for peer review is "peer pressure." In addition to providing a safety net in case the original programmer leaves the project, reviews improve code quality because the programmer knows that the code will be read by others. Even if your shop hasn't created explicit coding standards, reviews provide a subtle way of moving toward a group coding standard—decisions are made by the group during reviews, and over time the group derives its own standards.”

“Review every line of code. A code review typically involves the programmer and at least two reviewers. That means that at least three people read every line of code. Another name for peer review is "peer pressure." In addition to providing a safety net in case the original programmer leaves the project, reviews improve code quality because the programmer knows that the code will be read by others. Even if your shop hasn't created explicit coding standards, reviews provide a subtle way of moving toward a group coding standard—decisions are made by the group during reviews, and over time the group derives its own standards.”

Code Reviews

Benefits of Code Reviews

• Help from others• Redundancy• Readability• Coding standards

How to reduce the length of the feedback loop?

Informal Pairing

Informal pairing

• “On demand” collaboration• Started to spend more time together

Randori

Utah Software Craftsmanship


Pairing Time with Pairing Stations

Caves and Commons

Agile Software Development: The Cooperative Game by Alistair CockburnFigure 3.1-1. Completed office layout (Courtesy of Ken Auer, RoleModelSoftware).

One navigator, many drivers


Persistent, promiscuous pair programming

Whole team ownership?

“You should really talk to Woody Zuill. You need to see what they’re doing at Hunter Industries”

http://mobprogramming.org/

All the brilliant people, working on the same thing, at the same time, in the same space…

All the brilliant people, working on the same thing, at the same time, in the same space, and at the same computer.


“Let’s try mob programming”

My experience

Mob #1

Mob #1

•3 co-located + 1 remote•Pairing station

Whole team ownership of code!

Then we added a team member…

And the remote member moved to be co-located…

A trip to San Diego

https://twitter.com/ChristophLucian/status/482651109173895168

Mob #2

Mob #2

•4 co-located including team lead•2 80 inch TVs on the wall

Discoveries!

Physical space

Strong-style pairing

"For an idea to go from your head into the computer, it MUST go through someone else's hands"

Strong-style pairing

Driver• At the keyboard• “Smart keyboard”• Trust your navigator• Think the computer of the

Enterprise

Navigator• Give verbal instructions to the

driver• Talk at the highest level of

abstraction

Location

Detail

The hard work is when you’re NOT at the keyboard

No standups!

More JIT code design

Increased “Bus Factor”

Resilient

Working on the right thing

Get things done and delivered

Downside?

Less worktime flexibility

Looks funny from the outside

And then product management…

Mob #3

Ways we use forms of Mobbing

•Large onsite with client workshops•Workshops at our location•Everyday work

One navigator, many pairs

One navigator, many mobs

Experience != Learning

Experience + Reflection => Learning

https://github.com/willemlarsen/mobprogrammingrpg

It’s not solo programming with a group

It’s fun!

Mike Clement

• @mdclement• [email protected]• http://blog.softwareontheside.com• https://github.com/mdclement• http://agilecodegames.com

• Greater Sum• @thegreatersum• http://www.greatersum.com

• Software Craftsmanship Atlanta• Find us on meetup.com

Resources

• http://mobprogramming.org/mob-programming-time-lapse-video-a-day-of-mob-programming/

• Updated video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVqUcNKVbYg• http://llewellynfalco.blogspot.com/2014/06/llewellyns-strong-style-

pairing.html• Timer: https://github.com/MobProgramming/MobTimer.Python• Mob Programming Conference:

http://agilegamesnewengland.org/index.php/mob-programming-conference

• RPG: https://github.com/willemlarsen/mobprogrammingrpg• Mobster Timer with RPG: https://github.com/dillonkearns/mobster