From Data to Theory: A Qualitative Study of Pair Programming Expertise

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

B. Qualitative Research Approach

We follow Strauss’ & Corbin’s Grounded Theory Methodology [9]. In particular, we perform theoretical sampling [9, Ch. 11] by choosing sessions from the repository with pair members who have been pair-programing regularly for years and those that are new to the practice, as well as involving experienced software developers and novices (see Table I). Below, we report our findings mostly from open coding [9, Ch. 5], where relevant phenomena in the data are identified, analyzed, and characterized through concepts, and some findings from axial coding [9, Ch. 7], which investigates when and how these phenomena occur and how the pair deals with them. We did not yet perform selective coding [9, Ch. 8] to formulate a theory and also did not yet reach theoretical saturation [9, p. 188].