Solving Practical Puzzles: A Qualitative Look at Pair Programming Challenges

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

C. Our Notions of ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’

We only assess exhibited PP skill, not the developers’ potential and not behavior changes over a longer time. This is also a purely qualitative study. We use a deficit-oriented perspective, i.e., we analyze episodes of pairs running into ‘trouble’, e.g., (a) one or both pair members getting frustrated because they do not understand what their partner says or does, or (b) the pair doing things that help neither with their actual task nor with some overarching goal such as getting familiar with the code base.