1. Introduction
In this tutorial, we’ll discuss mob programming and its benefits and drawbacks. We’ll provide best practices for using mob programming in our development process.
2. What Is Mob Programming?
Mob programming is a method of software development where a group of individuals collaborates on a single project while using the same computer and other devices.
It originated from agile software development practices. Agile approaches provide a rapid and flexible process that allows teams to adapt quickly to changes.
As the name implies, mob programming involves a small team or mob of programmers working together in a small group in real-time on a single task and one computer.
Moreover, mob programming expands on the idea of pair programming by having the entire team work together at one computer to complete one task at a time.
This approach is typically used when high-level design and development decisions need to be made, and it involves multiple people working together to generate a variety of ideas for solving a problem.
3. How Does It Work?
In mob programming, participants rotate their roles in a way that promotes learning and development for all. This helps to develop both soft skills, like collaboration and problem-solving, and hard skills, such as coding and technical knowledge.
Mob programming the mob, navigator, driver, and facilitator roles:
- The mob refers to a group of programmers working together on the same project in real-time.
- The navigator is responsible for guiding the group toward the intended goal by listening to the mob’s discussion and communicating instructions to the driver.
- The driver writes the code and implements the ideas generated by the mob and the navigator.
- Lastly, the facilitator manages the process, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and resolving any issues that arise.
Let’s say our company wants to develop a software application using the mob strategy.
The development process begins with the facilitator selecting individuals to participate in the mob programming, assigning the roles of driver and navigator, and determining the task that needs to be accomplished.
The mob then discusses and agrees upon the approach to be used, and the navigator structures the ideas and approaches into instructions for the driver. The driver, who is the only one on the keyboard, translates the verbal instructions into code.
During the development process, the navigator assists the mob in reviewing the code as the driver is writing it. If necessary, the facilitator can assign the roles of driver and navigator to other mob members.
4. Advantages of Mob Programming
Mob programming allows many individuals to take part in the task at hand and collaborate on complex issues. This is extremely helpful when discussing subjects that demand in-depth analysis and a range of perspectives.
The following are some advantages of mob programming:
5. Disadvantages of Mob Programming
Working in a mob programming environment has some drawbacks:
6. Conclusion
In this article, we talked about mob programming. It’s a common software development approach that offers a lot of advantages, including greater code quality, improved communication, knowledge sharing, enhanced decision-making, and greater effectiveness.
In mob programming, the team works collectively on the same tasks, and we use the “driver/navigator” approach, in which the navigator gives directions to the driver, who translates them into code.
In general, mob programming can be beneficial for some companies, but it may not work well for all teams.