Tips to Survive Pair Programming (Post-Pandemic)
It’s a cliche. They frequently say that teamwork makes the dream work. That two heads are better than one. So it’s better to work as a pair than be a lone ranger. Enter pair-programming.
Pair programming used to be sharing a workstation. You sit approximately as-close-as-co-workers-sit-so-it’s-not-awkward apart. One person codes while the other reviews the written code. Pair programming technique can take around 15% longer, yet produces 15% lesser defects¹. It’s well-loved by the community for those reasons. 96% of the pair programmers reported in an online survey that they enjoyed their work in a pair programming environment than working alone².
That was before the pandemic went down. That felt like a millennia ago. Now, after the initial pandemic havoc and the demand for toilet paper, sanitizer, and baking supplies have died down. It’s time to live our lives like the pandemic never happened. Only this time everyone needs to be as far apart as possible. Now, our fave software development technique pair programming has quite literally turned into “sharing a screen”. The real question is, did it really change much?
I would say that in a way it did change. Essentially, people doing virtual pair programming are still sharing one workstation. Just physically apart. But that’s the challenge there. The being physically apart. There are a lot of things that people do when they’re close like pointing to the screen when there is something amiss. Subtle physical cues that signal that the other person is not so sure with what you are doing. But hey, with how technology has evolved to accommodate remote work — thank goodness! There are tools like Visual Studio Code’s LiveShare for code sharing. No, I’m #NotSponsored.
The biggest downer here is that it takes some practice to voice your thoughts in a way that the other person can understand as you code. This is why whiteboarding challenges are hard. The same problem goes with pair programming virtually. You have to make sure to talk as you go, being very deliberate about explaining everything. Your partner also has to make sure that they let you know their concerns as you go through the code. A lot of verbal communication has to happen for virtual pair programming to succeed.
The pandemic has forced us to forego our good old non-verbal communication. The cold shoulder will not work anymore. You now have to tell your co-worker that they have offended you. You also might have to tell the person that you’re pair programming with that you’d want to refactor the code they wrote because you think it’s not efficient, and hope they won’t get offended. Fret not, I will have a few tips on how to pair program virtually and still be liked by your co-worker.
That being said, I’m not a divine being and there are technical problems that can happen when you pair program virtually. That could be your microphone not working or your internet connection just not cooperating. When things like this happen, you probably feel like it’s better to work separately and then compare the code. Sorry buddy, I cannot help you there.
Personally, the biggest challenge as a non-native English speaker is to find the right words to verbalize what I need to convey. I have experienced this in a lot of the pair programming exercises that I have done. If both participants do not have English as their first language, it gets hard very quickly.
Do’s of Virtual Pair Programming
- Do keep your video on. It helps when you see the other person and they see you.
- Do take breaks. Go out and get some sun.
- Do set an agreement on when to switch with your partner.
- COMMUNICATE. A LOT. Over communicating is not a thing in the virtual world.
- Do slow down.
- Do check on your partner.
- Be patient. Remote work means more ESL co-workers.
Don’ts of Virtual Pair Programming
- Don’t be a douche bag.
- Don’t assume that your partner understands without asking them.
- Don’t talk yourself down. You are capable of contributing something to the code.
[1]: The Costs and Benefits of Pair Programming https://medium.com/@weblab_tech/pair-programming-guide-a76ca43ff389
[2]: Pair Programming Guide https://medium.com/@weblab_tech/pair-programming-guide-a76ca43ff389
What is Pair Programming? Advantages, Challenges, Tutorials & More https://stackify.com/pair-programming-advantages/
