Pair Programming Proficiency: Is it About Experience or Something Else?

Does pair programming skill come from experience? This discussion explores why new developers can excel at pairing while veterans sometimes struggle, raising questions about what truly drives proficiency in collaboration.

Table of Links

Abstract and I. Introduction

II. Related Work

A. On the Existence of Pair Programming Skill

B. On the Elements of Pair Programming Skill

III. Research Method

A. Research Goal and Data Collection

B. Qualitative Research Approach

C. Our Notions of ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’

IV. Results

A. Two Elements of Pair Programming Skill

B. Anti-Pattern: Getting Lost in the Weeds

C. Anti-Pattern: Losing the Partner

D. Anti-Pattern: Drowning the Partner

E. Doing the Right Thing and F. Further Elements of Pair Programming Skill

V. Discussion

VI. Summary and Future Work

VII. Data Availability and References

V. DISCUSSION

Previous research and practitioner reports suggest that getting accustomed to working in pairs ...