Half a decade of mob programming - Ulrika Malmgren - NDC Oslo 2024

Software teaming involves the whole team working together on the same task simultaneously, with one driver at the keyboard and others as navigators

Key benefits include:

• Organic knowledge sharing happens continuously without extra effort
• Higher quality solutions through different perspectives and collective understanding
• More consistent output as work leverages the highest skill level available
• Reduced need for synchronization meetings and documentation
• Better resilience and reduced bus factor

Success factors:

• Patience with self and others during the learning curve
• Curiosity and willingness to learn from others
• Shared values and common ground within the team
• 3-5 people is optimal team size
• Regular retrospectives to improve the practice

Common challenges:

• Initial discomfort and resistance to change
• Energy level variations in the team
• Some team members may prefer working alone
• Learning to communicate effectively
• Need for discipline to stay focused as a group

Works well remotely:

• Use shared screen and remote access tools
• Single team online presence/account
• Clear audio setup for all participants
• Digital whiteboarding tools for collaboration

Not every task needs full team attention:

• Individual work can be appropriate for certain tasks
• Juniors may need some solo time to build confidence
• Time-boxed individual exploration can be valuable
• Return to group to share learnings

The default approach should be software teaming rather than individual work, with exceptions made when appropriate

Quality improves through:

• Collective understanding of problems
• Multiple perspectives on solutions
• Built-in code review and knowledge sharing
• Consistent standards across the team
• Fewer handoff errors

Focus should be on optimizing knowledge flow rather than individual utilization